36C26225Q0564.docx

SUBJECT*

691 | 36C262-25-AP-3108 | Dental Assistants

GENERAL INFORMATION

RESPONSE DATE/TIME/ZONE

Department of Veterans Affairs NCO 22 - Gilbert Network Contracting 650 E. Indian School Rd.

Phoenix AZ 85012

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contracting Officer Bill Cook William.Cook2@va.gov 602-795-4289

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

11301 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles CA

COUNTRY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

DESCRIPTION

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY.

It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses to this “Sources Sought” must be in writing. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified vendors, to include Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Veteran Owned Small Businesses, interested and capable of providing the services described below.

Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition.

The North American Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is NAICS: 561320 – Temporary Help Services ($34.0M) PSC: Q503 – Medical – Dentistry Responses to this notice shall include the following:

(a) Company name

(b) Address

(c) Point of contact

(d) Phone, fax, and email

(e) SAM UEI

(f) Cage Code

(g) Tax ID Number

(h) Type of business (large or small)

(i) If small business, type of small business, e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran-owned small business, and

(j) Must provide a capability statement that addresses the organization’s qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor for the work described below.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has a requirement for Dental Assistant and Dental Hygienist Staffing Services on an as-needed basis at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS), located at 11301 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90073. A detailed description of the required services, to include the six dental clinic locations, is also outlined in the attached draft Statement of Work (SOW).

Important information: 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 a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. The VA is mandated by Public Law 109-461 to consider a total set-aside for Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business set aside. However, if responses by Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business firms proves inadequate, an alternate set-aside or full and open competition may be determined. No sub-contracting opportunity is anticipated.

Notice to potential offerors: All offerors who provide goods or services to the United States Federal Government must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov and complete the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA). Additionally, all Service- Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who respond to a solicitation on this project must be registered with the US Small Business Administration Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) located at https://dsbs.sba.gov/search/dsp_dsbs.cfm.

All interested Offerors should submit information by e-mail to william.cook2@va.gov. All information submissions shall be received no later than 12:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, May 15, 2025. After review of the responses to this announcement, the Government intends to proceed with the acquisition and a subsequent solicitation may be published.

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

STATEMENT OF WORK

1. INTRODUCTION:

The VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System (VAGLAHS) has a need for Dental Assistant and Dental Hygienist staffing on an as-needed basis. Requirements are projected at an estimate of 30,368 Dental Assistant hours and 6,240 Dental Hygienist hours per contract year. The numbers of hours per year specified are estimates only and are subject to change. The Government is not obligated to purchase any specified number of services under this resulting Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Indefinite Quantity Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) contract, but will be obligated to make payment for all services requested and received in the quantities and quality requested. Contractor personnel shall be present at VAGLAHS facility during working hours and be performing the required services identified herein or the payment shall be decreased accordingly during the billing cycle.

The contractor shall thoroughly review the specifications and become familiar with the areas of coverage in order to become fully aware of the scope of requirements. Failure to understand the requirements shall not relieve the contractor from performing in accordance with the Statement of Work (SOW).

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

The contractor shall provide Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists to provide Dental services to the VAGLAHS. Sites shall consist of the six (6) Dental Clinics listed below. The Contractor personnel shall provide a range of services in accordance with the terms and conditions contained herein.

VA Greater Los Angeles Hospital 11301 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90073 VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center 16111 Plummer Street North Hills, CA 91343 Bakersfield CBOC 1801 Westwind Drive Bakersfield, CA 93301

Santa Maria CBOC 1550 East Main Street Santa Maria, CA 93454 Los Angeles ACC 351 East Temple Street Los Angeles, CA 90012 Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic 5250 Ralston Street Ventura, CA 93003

3. RESPONSIBILITIES:

a. Dental Assistant:

i. The Dental Assistant shall perform chairside assistant duties in all phases of dentistry including but not limited to, prosthodontics, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery and endodontics.

ii. The Dental Assistant shall be responsible for assisting dentists by preparing patients and instruments for dental treatment, measure and record vital signs, respond to basic medical emergencies, prepare surgical dressings and specimens, adjust treatment as needed to account for age specific needs of geriatric patient, perform laboratory duties as needed, and operate dental x-ray equipment, including evaluating images for diagnostic quality and utilizing dental imaging safety techniques.

iii. The Dental Assistant shall learn how to operate new and existing equipment for patient treatment. The Dental Assistant shall maintain and clean dental equipment, instruments and assigned spaces according to current Infection Control policies, Reportable Medical Events (RME), and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. This includes, but is not limited to, dental chair/unit maintenance, equipment inventory, instrument inventory, and supply management in the operatory and supply rooms.

iv. The Dental Assistant shall be responsible for receiving routing patients, recording information related to patient care, utilization of all dental programs, and providing patient with education material related to their care. Following surgical procedures, the dental assistant shall provide proper verbal and written post-op instructions.

v. The Dental Assistant shall protect printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. The Dental Assistant shall protect data from unauthorized release, loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. The Dental Assistant shall follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc.; enter and retrieve data utilizing electronic dental records; learn and utilize software programs used within VHA such as word processing software to store and retrieve electronic documents and files, activate printers, insert and delete text, format letters, reports, and memoranda and transmit and receive email. The Dental Assistant shall learn and use the Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VistA), Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS), and Dental Record Manager Plus (DRM+) to access information in the facility computer system.

vi. The Dental Assistant shall instruct, assist, and answer questions for a variety of dental trainees in the Dental Clinic.

b. Dental Hygienist:

i. The Dental Hygienist shall receive scheduled patients, complete preliminary dental examinations on new dental service patients and review patients medical and dental history for evidence of past and present conditions such as mental illness and use of drugs, which may complicate or alter dental hygiene treatment.

ii. The Dental Hygienist shall examine the teeth and surrounding tissue for evidences of plaque and periodontal disease and chart findings. The Dental Hygienist shall inspect the mouth and throat for evidence of disease such as oral cancer; interpret routine x-rays to identify tooth structures, calculus, and abnormalities such as cavities, traumatic occlusion, and suspicious lesions to present to the dentist.

iii. The Dental Hygienist assignments at this level include but are not limited to: patient medical assessment (e.g. medical/dental history, social history, vital signs, full periodontal assessment and charting), disease and treatment management recommendations, denture care, scaling and root planing, radiographs/image interpretation, patient education (e.g. post-procedure, tobacco cessation, caries and perio-disease prevention), behavior management, management of stable medically compromised patients (including risk factors), instrument sharpening, and inter-service communication.

iv. The Dental Hygienist shall render routine and advanced prophylactic treatment on ambulatory patients; remove calcium deposits, accretions and stain by deep scaling, root planing and curettage under local anesthetic; and polish the teeth and apply fluoride for caries prevention and hypersensitivity.

v. The Dental Hygienist shall work in conjunction with periodontal consultants and staff dentist in the treatment of patients with advanced periodontal disease requiring periodontal treatment including surgery, and assist in the pre and post operative care of these patients by providing deep scaling, curettage and root planning with ultrasonic and hand instruments: remove restoration overhangs and polish restorations, chart periodontal tissues, examine and chart pocket depths, inspect radiographs and record bone heights, disclose plaque and rate oral hygiene and plaque control.

vi. The Dental Hygienist shall instruct patients at chairside in oral hygiene, brushing and flossing techniques, and periodontal aids which increase the amount of stimulation to the teeth. The Dental Hygienist shall also plan and adapt instructions in home care techniques, tailoring them to the oral hygiene needs and oral problems of individual patients. The Dental Hygienist shall explain to patients the cause of periodontal disease and tooth decay, and the importance of diet and hygiene as it relates to oral and systemic health.

vii. The Dental Hygienist shall take radiographs on patients including bitewing, periapical, and panoramic x-rays. The Dental Hygienist shall make necessary adjustments and select the type of radiograph that is necessary for the patient’s mouth. The Dental Hygienist shall also prepare, clean and provide maintenance to the x-ray equipment according to infection control and RME guidelines.

viii. The Dental Hygienist shall manage a dental disease prevention program for patients with special problems, such as pre and post treatment follow-up for maxillofacial patients, patients scheduled for radiation treatment; renal dialysis; neuropsychiatric; severe psychological and medical problems; stroke patients; diabetic patients; and drug and alcohol rehabilitation patients.

ix. The Dental Hygienist shall remove sutures, replace dressings, and take impressions for study casts. The Dental Hygienist shall also construct mouth guards or special trays for the application of fluoride in post radiation oral cancer patients.

x. The Dental Hygienist shall maintain the patient recall system to insure continuous, close follow-up treatment for each patient involved in the dental prevention program.

xi. The Dental Hygienist shall be required to use VAGLAHS Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and (Dental Record Manager Plus) DRM Plus to input patient dental activity data and reports.

xii. The Dental Hygienist shall maintain and clean dental equipment, instruments and assigned spaces according to current Infection Control policies, OSHA and RME guidelines, including, but not limited to, dental chair/unit maintenance, equipment inventory, instrument inventory, and supply management in the operatory and supply rooms.

4. QUALIFICATIONS:

4.1 Dental Assistants shall possess the following:

4.1.1 A current unrestricted license by the Committee on Dental Auxiliaries (COMDA) for the State of California

4.1.2 A minimum of 1 year experience as a dental assistant

4.1.3 A Dental Radiological Certificate

4.1.4 A current BLS and or/CPR card

4.1.5 A valid TB test

4.2 Dental Hygienist shall possess the following:

1. An Associate Degree or higher in an accredited dental hygiene program. This program shall be accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (COD).

1. A current unrestricted license from the State of California

1. Certification. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education and be certified as radiographers in their field. Accredited dental hygiene programs contain curriculum addressing radiologic procedures which will meet the requirement for certification as a dental radiographer.

1. A minimum of 1 year experience as a Dental Hygienist

1. A current BLS and or/CPR card

1. A valid TB test

5. ORDERING ACTIVITIES AND OFFICES:

1. VA will designate a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to monitor contract performance and assist in contract administration.

1. A delegation of authority letter delineating the responsibilities and limitations of the COR will be provided.

1. Any commitments of changes, which affect the price, quantity, authority to amend or render a decision on questions of the fact in dispute and related contract administration problems are duties of the Contracting Officer (CO) and cannot be delegated.

1. The contractor shall not accept any instructions issued by any other person(s) other than the CO or the COR acting within the limits of his/her authority. Only those services specified herein are authorized.

1. Before performing any service of a non-contract nature, the contractor shall advise the CO of the reasons for additional work.

1. Changes to the contract may be made only in writing by the CO.

6. WORK HOURS:

1. The services covered by this contract shall be furnished by the contractor as defined herein. The contractor shall not be required to furnish such services on a national holiday or during off duty hours as described below.

1. The following terms have the following meanings:

1. Business Hours

1. Business hours are defined as Monday through Friday (7:30am – 4:00pm and 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

1. Federal Holidays: The following holidays are observed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

· New Year’s Day

· Martin Luther King’s Birthday

· President’s Day

· Memorial Day

· Juneteenth

· Independence Day

· Labor Day

· Indigenous People Day

· Veterans Day

· Thanksgiving

· Christmas

· And any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States to be a Federal holiday.

2. The contractor shall provide coverage for all other days not designated as a Federal Holiday.

7. NON-ACCEPTANCE OF CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL:

1. The contractor shall ensure that all contractor personnel have met the qualifying criteria, including health requirements and valid licenses.

1. The decision to accept or reject contractor personnel rests with the VA.

1. Non-acceptance of contractor personnel does not relieve the contractor from satisfying and fulfilling the contract requirements.

8. STANDARD OF CONDUCT:

1. The Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of contractor personnel whose personal or professional conduct jeopardizes patient care or interferes with the regular and ordinary operation of the facility.

1. Breaches of conduct include intoxication or debilitation resulting from drug use, theft, patient abuse, or negligence in performing directed tasks, or other abuse, or other conduct resulting in formal complaints by patients or other staff members to designated Government Representatives. Standards for conduct shall mirror those prescribed by current Federal Personnel Regulations.

1. Complaints concerning contractor personnel’s conduct with Government employees or patients shall be dealt with by the COR.

1. The CO is the final authority on validating complaints. If contractor personnel are involved and named in a validated complaint, the Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of the services of such personnel. This does not preclude refusal in the event of incidents involving physical or verbal abuse. The final arbiter on questions of acceptability is the CO.

9. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

1. The contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the United States Government if the employment of that person would create a conflict of interest.

1. The contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs, unless such person seeks and receives approval in accordance with VA Regulations. The contractor shall not employ any person, that would create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, particularly regarding influencing the contract negotiations or terms of the contract. In any such case, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) shall review the matter and give its approval in accordance with agency ethics rules.

10. CONTRACTOR LIAISON:

a. The contractor shall designate one (1) employee as liaison who shall be responsible for overseeing the performance of work under this contract.

b. The liaison shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all matters relating to the daily operation of this contract.

c. The liaison may be a contract health care provider performing under this contract.

d. An alternate liaison may be designated, but the contractor shall identify, in writing, those times when the alternate shall act as the liaison.

11. EMERGENCIES OR COMPLICATIONS:

1. Contractor personnel shall report any unusual incidents within 24 hours to the Administrative Officer of Dental Service or, to the Chief of the Dental Service.

1. All accidents, malfunctions, injuries and deaths related to the delivery of services shall be immediately reported verbally to the COR.

1. The contractor shall be required to provide evidence of follow-up through a written report of the incident, describing the event, analysis of cause and effect, and corrective action taken. If such a report is requested by the COR, this shall be done within three (3) business days of the verbal report.

12. KEY PERSONNEL AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SUBSTITUTIONS:

1. The Contractor shall provide scheduled services throughout the contract period.

1. The Contractor shall provide the CO and the COR a list of Key Personnel and their expected tour of duty.

1. During the first ninety (90) days of performance, the contractor shall make NO substitutions of key personnel unless the substitution is necessitated by illness, death or termination of employment.

1. If contractor’s personnel are absent for any reason listed in paragraph 12.3, the contractor shall coordinate an alternate with the COR or the CO.

13. ALTERNATE SOURCES:

1. If routine services are disrupted for more than two (2) consecutive scheduled shifts or emergency response requests, the Government reserves the right to procure such services from an alternate source, until routine services are restored by the contractor.

1. When the Government exercises its right to procure these services from an alternate source, the contractor shall reimburse the government for all charges in excess of the amount that would have normally been incurred by the contract.

1. A copy of the other source’s time sheet or other verifiable documentation shall be used as the basis for any reimbursement.

14. PERSONAL SECURITY VERIFICATION (PIV) CARD AND/OR SECURITY BADGE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES

14.1 Definitions.

14.1.1 Access means routine, unescorted physical entry into, and to the extent authorized, mobility within a Government facility. Also, it means the ability to obtain, view, read, modify, delete, and/or otherwise make use of information technology.

14.1.2 Contractor employee means an employee of the prime contractor or of any subcontractor, affiliate, partner, joint venture, or team members with which the contractor is associated. It also includes consultants engaged by any of those entities.

14.1.3 Facility and Government facility mean buildings, including areas within buildings, owned, leased, shared occupied, or otherwise controlled by the federal government.

14.1.4 Information technology means any equipment or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment, including telecommunications equipment that is used in the automatic acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information. This includes both major systems/application and general support system as defined by OMB/A-13, owned by VA or owned and operated on VA’s behalf by another party.

1. Access to VA Facilities or Systems.

14.2.1 General. The performance of this contract requires contractor employees to have routine, unescorted access to VA facilities. All such employees who do not already possess a current Security Badge or PIV Card acceptable to VA shall be required to provide personal information, undergo an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check, and obtain a Security Badge or PIV Card prior to being permitted access to any such facility in performance of this contract. No contractor employee shall be permitted routine, unescorted access to a VA facility without a proper Security Badge or PIV Card.

14.2.2 General. The performance of this contract requires contractor employees to have routine, unescorted access to VA facilities. All such employees who do not already possess a current Security Badge or PIV Card acceptable to VA shall be required to provide personal information, undergo an FBI National Criminal History Fingerprint Check, and obtain a Security Badge or PIV Card prior to being permitted access to any such facility in performance of this contract. No contractor employee shall be permitted routine, unescorted access to a VA facility without a proper Security Badge or PIV Card.

14.2.3 Citizenship-related requirements. If required by the contract, each affected contractor employee as described in paragraph 14.1.2 shall be:

14.2.3.1 A United States (U.S.) citizen; or

14.2.3.2 A national of the United States (see 8 U.S.C. 1408); or

14.2.3.3 An alien lawfully admitted into the United States for permanent residence as evidenced by an Alien Registration Receipt Card Form I–151.

14.3 Background information.

14.3.1 For each contractor employee that has access to VA facilities or systems, the contractor shall coordinate with the assigned Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) to schedule electronic finger printing and initiate a Special Agreement Check (SAC). The COR shall provide instructions to the contractor regarding the local procedures for fingerprinting and obtaining Security Badges or PIV Cards.

14.3.2 After completion of the fingerprint check, the Contracting Officer shall notify the contractor in writing if any contractor employee is determined to be unsuitable to be given access to a government facility or VA system. If so notified, the contractor shall not allow such employees to perform work on this contract.

14.4 Security Badge or PIV Cards.

14.4.1 VA shall issue a Security Badge or PIV Card to each contractor employee who is to be given routine, unescorted access to VA facilities or access to VA systems and does not already possess a Security Badge or PIV Card. Contractor employees that require logical access and email address in VA systems, access to sensitive records, sensitive physical access or common physical access of greater than 6 months, or considered as a fulltime equivalent shall require PIV Card, requiring background investigation (NACI) and SAC.

14.4.2 VA shall issue Non-PIV Security Badges to contractor employees that require logical access with no email address in VA systems, access to sensitive records, sensitive physical access or common physical access of less than 6 months, or not considered as a fulltime equivalent shall require non-PIV Card, requiring SAC. This card is issued with an expiration date of 6 months or less.

14.4.3 Security Badge or PIV Cards shall identify individuals as contractor employees. Contractor employees shall display their Security Badge or PIV Cards on their persons at all times while working in a VA facility and shall present their cards for inspection upon request by VA officials or VA security personnel.

14.4.4 The contractor shall be responsible for all Security Badge or PIV Cards issued to the contractor’s employees and shall immediately notify the COR if any Security Badge or PIV Card(s) cannot be accounted for. The contractor shall notify the COR immediately whenever any contractor employee no longer has a need for his/her VA-issued Security Badge or PIV Card (e.g., employee terminates employment with the contractor, employee’s duties no longer require access to VA facilities). In such cases, the COR shall instruct the contractor on how to return the Security Badge or PIV Card. Upon expiration of this contract, the COR shall instruct the contractor on how to return all VA-issued Security Badge or PIV Cards not previously returned. The contractor shall not return Security Badge or PIV Cards to any person other than the COR.

14.5 Control of access. VA shall have and exercise full and complete control over granting, denying, withholding, and terminating access of contractor employees to VA facilities and systems. The Contracting Officer shall notify the contractor immediately when VA has determined that an employee is unsuitable or unfit to be permitted access to a VA facility or system. The contractor shall immediately notify such an employee that he/she no longer has access to any VA facility or system, shall retrieve the employee’s Security Badge or PIV Card from the employee, and shall provide a suitable replacement employee in accordance with the requirements of this clause. The VA shall not give the contractor the reason for requiring the removal of the unsuitable contractor employee but can provide the applicant the phone number to call the FBI to receive a copy of the SAC report used for this determination. The Government shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the contractor as a result of removing such employee from the subject contract.

14.6 Termination. Failure on the part of the Contractor to comply with these terms may result in termination of this contract for default.

15. VA HANDBOOK 6500.6 APPENDIX C PARAGRAPH 9 – TRAINING

1. The VA shall provide a briefing to familiarize the contractor personnel on the policies and procedures on the first scheduled duty day or within a period that is acceptable.

1. All contractor employees and subcontractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems:

2. Sign and acknowledge electronically through TMS understanding of, and responsibilities for compliance, with the Contractor Rules of Behavior, Appendix E, relating to access to VA information and information systems;

2. Successfully complete the VA Privacy and Information Security Awareness and Rules of Behavior training and annually complete required security training;

2. Successfully complete the appropriated VA Privacy and HIPAA training and annually complete privacy training requirement; and

2. Successfully complete any additional cyber security or privacy training, as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access as defined by the VA program office.

1. The contractor shall provide to the Contracting Officer and/or the COR a copy of the training certificates and certification of signing the Contractor Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within 1 week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required.

1. Failure to complete the mandatory annual training and sign the Rules of Behavior annually, within the timeframe, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and comments are complete.

16. PERSONAL HYGIENE AND CLOTHING:

16.1 Contractor personnel shall be neat, clean, well-groomed and shall otherwise exercise good personal hygiene.

16.2 Appropriate and professional attire shall be always worn. A laboratory style coat can be worn over scrubs when the contractor personnel are not performing duties in a clinical examination area, operating or procedure rooms. Medical scrubs are not to be worn outside the facility.

17. HEALTH REQUIREMENTS:

1. Contractor personnel shall not perform services under this contract unless a pre-assignment medical examination has been performed within 30 calendar days of their first scheduled shift. Pre-assignment medical examinations shall be the responsibility of the Contractor at no cost to the Government.

1. As a condition of employment, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all Contractor personnel who shall have occupational exposure to blood, other body fluids, or other potentially infections materials, shall receive Hepatitis B vaccine, sign a voluntary declination or have documented proof of immunity to Hepatitis B infection. The immunization shall be the responsibility of the Contractor at no cost to the Government.

1. Contractor personnel having patient contact or exposure to biological or pathological specimens shall be immunized against, be granted an immunization waiver, or have documented proof of immunity to rubella, mumps, polio and Hepatitis B. In addition, Contractor personnel shall be free of infectious diseases (to include, but not limited to, active Tuberculosis and Viral Hepatitis) that might reasonably be expected to place other workers, patients or the public at risk.

1. The Contractor shall provide the Government with all the information necessary to ensure that Government records are maintained correctly and in compliance with Joint Commission, OSHA and the Center for Disease Control health records requirements, for each individual Contractor health care provider.

1. The Contractor shall provide the COR with certification that Contractor personnel have completed the medical evaluation required above, a minimum of five (5) working days prior to performance of contract services. This certification shall state the date the examination was completed, doctor’s name, and a statement concerning the physical health of the individual and a statement stating they are not suffering from a contagious disease to include Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Venereal Disease.

1. The government may take nose and throat cultures from the Contractor personnel when required by Government Infection Control Committees (ICC).

1. If the Contractor personnel have been found medically unfit for providing services required under this contract, they shall be required to immediately discontinue working. Contractor personnel shall not return to work until given clearance by the appropriate physician.

1. The Government shall provide emergency health care for Contractor personnel for injuries sustained while on duty. These services shall be billed to the Contractor at the current full reimbursement rate.

18. IMMUNIZATION WAIVER/EXEMPTIONS: Waivers and exemptions may be granted in accordance with VA regulations and Medical Staff Bylaws.

19. DRUG SCREENING: Contractor personnel shall be subject to random drug testing. They are also subject to drug testing when there is a reasonable suspicion that they use or are impaired by illegal drugs while on duty. Reasonable suspicion of drug use or impairment includes, but is not limited, to the following:

19.1. Observable phenomena, such as direct observation of drug use, possession or the physical symptoms of being under the influence of a drug;

19.2 A pattern of abnormal conduct or erratic behavior.

19.3. Arrest or conviction for a drug-related offense or the identification of Contractor personnel as the focus of a criminal investigation into illegal drug possession, use or trafficking.

19.4 Information provided either by reliable and credible sources or independently corroborated.

19.5 Newly discovered evidence that the Contractor personnel has tampered with a previous drug test.

20. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AND ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS: If and when requested by the Government, Contractor personnel shall perform services to include, but not limited to, attendance and participation in meetings, professional staff conferences, other appropriate professional activities, assist with Performance Improvement activities and interface with the VA Chief Medical Officer or designee.

21. PATIENT SENSITIVITY: Contractor personnel shall respect and maintain the basic rights of patients, demonstrating concern for personal dignity and human relationships.

22. APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS: The Contractor shall adhere to the publications list that follows. The publications are maintained by the Government and are available through the COR. At any time, these publications are subject to change, made in the form of supplements or amendments issued at any organizational level and may affect contract performance.

1. A STATION MEMORANDA – Use Most Current Dated Publication:

NUMBER TITLE

0. Patient’s Rights and responsibilities

0. Improving Organizational Performance

0. Medical Records Content and Documentation

0. Privacy Act of 1994

0. Electronics Signature and Computer-based Medical Records

23. GENERAL INFORMATION SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

23.1 MEDICAL RECORDS: Clinical or other medical records of VA beneficiaries treated by the Contractor under this contract are VA records and shall be forwarded to the VA. Contractor personnel shall not have access to the following records unless necessary to perform their contractual duties: hardware or media which may store drug or alcohol abuse data, sickle cell anemia treatment records, records or tests or treatment for or infection with HIV, medical quality assurance records, or any other sensitive information as defined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Any individual who has access to these data shall disclose them to no one, including other employees of the Contractor not involved in the performance of the particular contractual duty for which access was obtained.

23.2 HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA): All parties are bound by the requirements of the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996”, which provides guidance on the protection of patient privacy and confidentiality. This Act mandates that all government agencies and those bodies with whom they contract shall be in compliance with the directives of the Act. The Contractor shall take reasonable measures to ensure patient privacy and confidentiality. The Contractor personnel herein agree to take all reasonable precautions to safeguard patient information from unauthorized access or modification, in both electronic and hard-copy formats. This includes not only electronic security measures such as “strong” user passwords on computer systems, but also physical barriers to prevent unauthorized use of computer workstations. Hard copy patient files shall be secured in lockable areas and/or lockable cabinets that shall be locked; keys shall be available; and the locking mechanisms shall work properly. Precautions shall also include safeguarding the proper transfer of patient information via electronic means, such as faxing or system-to-system transmission.

Contractor personnel shall make sure no patient information of any type is given to outside parties, agencies or organizations of any type without the expressed written consent of the patient and the VA, and only in capacities directly related to the provision of the services contracted herein. Only the minimum necessary patient information shall be used to provide appropriate service to the correct patient. The Contractor is subject to the same penalties and liabilities for unauthorized disclosures of such records as VA personnel.

25. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT (PI)/RISK MANAGEMENT: Contractor personnel shall participate in PI/Risk Management activities to the extent required by the VA.

26. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING:

Contractor personnel shall be held to the same standard as VA personnel through quality assurance and performance monitoring to ensure compliance under this contract. These procedures shall include reviewing time and attendance logs, verification of mandatory training, radiology functions and monitoring of the proper use of the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) records or other appropriate records called for under this contract and received by the VA. The Quality Assurance and Performance Monitoring shall be governed by the appointed COR who shall be responsible for verifying compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract. The Contractor shall perform services in accordance with the ethical, professional and technical standards of the healthcare industry as consistent with VA Policy, regulations and procedures. Any incidents observed by the monitoring procedures shall be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer. In addition, the COR shall forward the summary evaluation of the Contractor performance to the Contracting Officer once performance ends.

27. THE JOINT COMMISSION:

Contractor personnel shall be subject to the same quality assurance standards in meeting or exceeding current recognized National Standards as established by the Joint Commission. Copies of the quality assurance standards are on file in the VA Medical Healthcare Group and shall be available to the Contractor. Contractor personnel shall be responsible for compliance with all procedures in accordance with applicable VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System’s written policies, procedures, Bylaws of the Medical Staff and protocols. Copies of the Bylaws shall be available to all Contractor personnel and are located within the Healthcare Group. Contractor personnel shall not introduce new procedures or services without prior recommendation to the Dental service for approval.

The Contractor is required to maintain records that document competence/performance level of Contractor employees working on this contract, in accordance with Joint Commission and other regulatory body requirements. The Contractor shall provide a current copy of the competence assessment checklist and annual performance evaluation to the COR at the time of contract award or upon request, for each Contractor employee working on this contract.

Where the contract does not require Joint Commission Accreditation or other regulatory body requirements, the Contractor shall perform the required work in accordance with The Joint Commission Standards. A copy of these standards may be obtained from The Joint Commission, One Renaissance Blvd., Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181.

28. HHS/OIG REQUIREMENTS: To ensure the individuals providing services under this contract have not engaged in fraud or abuse under Sections 1128 and 1128A of the Social Security Act regarding federal health care programs, the Contractor is required to check the Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (HHS/OIG), List of Excluded Individuals/Entities on the OIG Website (www.hhs.gov/oig) for each person providing services under this contract. Further, the Contractor is required to certify in its proposal that all persons listed in the Contractor’s proposal have been compared against the OIG list and are NOT listed. During the performance of this contract, the Contractor is prohibited from using any individual or business listed on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities.

29. CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) REQUIREMENTS:

Contractor personnel registered by national associations shall continue to meet the minimum standards for CME and VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System Bylaws and Rules to remain current as prescribed by legal requirements. CME is the sole responsibility of the Contractor, shall be obtained at no additional cost to the Government, and shall be reported to the COR annually on the first normal duty day in January for the previous calendar year. Periodic CME may be conducted at the VA and may be available, at no cost, to any Contractor personnel.

30. EVIDENCE OF INSURANCE COVERAGE:

Before commencing work under this contract, the Contractor shall furnish certification to the Contracting Officer that the coverage required (General & Professional Liability as well as Workers Comp) has been obtained. Such evidence of insurance shall not be waived.

31. PERSONNEL POLICY:

General: The Contractor shall assume full responsibility for the protection of its personnel furnishing services under this contract. To carry out this responsibility, the Contractor shall provide the following to its personnel when applicable:

· Worker’s compensation

· Health examinations

· Income tax withholdings, and

· Social Security withholdings.

Payment for any leave, including sick leave or vacation time, is considered the sole responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor shall comply with all existing local, state, federal and/or union laws, regulations relevant to fringe benefits, and premium pay for their employees. Such personnel shall not be considered VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System employees for any purpose and shall be considered employees of the Contractor. There is no employer-employee relationship between the VA and the Contractor or the Contractor’s employee(s).

32. COMPUTER SECURITY:

In the performance of official duties, Contractor personnel have regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data that shall be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy. Contractor personnel are responsible for 1) protecting the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion and 2) following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the access agreement that Contractor personnel signs.

33. BILLING FOR SERVICES:

The Contractor is responsible for submitting invoices for services. Instructions, websites, and phone numbers for submitting invoices are in the Contract Administration Data section of the contract under Paragraph 4, Government Invoice Address.

34. PAYMENTS:

The Contractor shall accept payment for services rendered under this contract as payment in full and shall not bill the veteran or his/her third-party insurer for any services covered under this contract, or for additional services for which the VA pays the Contractor outside the contract.

35. INVOICE AND PAYMENT:

Payment is to be made monthly in arrears. The Contractor shall submit invoices electronically according to the contact information provided in Paragraph 4 of the Contract Administration Data section of the contract. Invoices submitted for payment shall be reviewed for accuracy, verified against time records and attendance logs and shall be subject to approval by the Government prior to remittance of payment.

Any discrepancies found shall be brought to the attention of the Contractor and shall be resolved. A corrected invoice shall then be submitted by the Contractor as instructed by the Government.

The invoice SHALL be itemized to include the following information.

Payment for services rendered by the Contractor shall be made monthly upon receipt of a proper invoice. When inadequate invoices are received (those lacking any of the essential items listed above), the vendor shall be notified in writing within 7 calendar days of receipt of such bills that these bills cannot be processed for payment until a proper invoice is submitted. (Prompt Payment Act – Public Law 97-177)

The itemized invoice shall be verified for certification of the services rendered during the billing period. The VA Contracting Officer’s Representative shall certify the Contractor’s invoice for payment of services rendered.

36. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:

The Office of Security and Law Enforcement provides Department-wide policy on the assignment of appropriate position sensitivity designations associated with Department of Veterans Affairs positions involving national security and public trust responsibilities, and on the level of background investigations required for applicants for, and incumbents of, those positions. In addition to VA employees, the policy and investigative requirements are applicable to Contractor personnel who require access to VA computer systems designated as sensitive.

Contractor and subcontractor personnel who require access to VA computer systems shall be subject to all necessary background investigations and receive a favorable adjudication from the VA Office of Security and Law Enforcement to ensure compliance with such policy. If such investigation has not been completed prior to contract commencement, the Contractor shall be responsible for the actions of those individuals performing under the contract.

Should the contract require Contractor personnel to maintain U.S. citizenship, the Contractor shall be responsible for compliance. Regardless of U.S. citizenship requirements, Contractor personnel are required to read, write, speak, and understand the English language, unless otherwise specified in this contract or agreed to by the Government.

The cost for such investigations shall be borne by the Contractor, either in advance or as reimbursement to the Government. The level of sensitivity shall be determined by the Government on the basis of the type of access required. The level of sensitivity shall determine the depth of the investigation and the cost thereof.

37. POST-AWARD PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE:

The Contracting Officer may schedule a post-award performance conference with the Contractor, if deemed necessary, for contract orientation purposes.

38. SMOKING POLICY:

Smoking is strictly prohibited on the grounds of any VHA facility. Per VHA Directive 1085 dated March 5, 2019, it is VHA policy that all VHA health care facilities, including hospitals, community clinics, administrative offices and Vet Centers, will be smoke-free for patients, visitors, contractors, volunteers, and vendors effective October 1, 2019. There will no longer be designated smoking areas.

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