36C26226Q0144 SOW update.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Intraoperative Neuromonitoring

1. GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1.1 The Contractor shall provide Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Services and all IONM equipment, supplies and labor as specified herein for eligible veterans on an as needed basis at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. The contracted IONM personnel shall provide a range of tasks in accordance with the terms and conditions contained herein.

1.2 Contract Health Care Provider’s personnel shall be subject to the same quality assurance standards in meeting or exceeding current recognized National Standards as established by the Joint Commission (TJC). 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. Persons provided by the Contractor shall be technically proficient in the skills necessary to fulfill the Government’s requirements, to include the ability to speak, understand, read and write English fluently. Contract personnel shall be responsible for compliance with all procedures in accordance with applicable VA Medical Center written policies, procedures, and protocols.

1.3 The Contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment and supplies required for performance under this contract. The Contractor will be responsible for setting up scientific equipment such as Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring System, positioning the patient in the operating room, attach electrodes, monitor complex nerve impulses and notify the surgeon regarding any danger to the patient nerve pathways during a surgical procedure. The Contractor will be responsible for multiple types of recordings and measurement of the electrical activity of the central and peripheral nervous system.

2. DUTIES

2.1 Contractor shall provide the IONM personnel to perform Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring and Evoked Potential services on an as needed basis. The purpose of IONM is to reduce the risk to the patient of iatrogenic damage to the nervous system, and/or to provide functional guidance to the surgeon and anesthesiologist.

2.2 The IONM personnel shall be well versed by virtue of training and experience in all aspects of Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring including:

a. Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)

b. Visual Evoked Response (VER)

c. Somatosensory Evoked Potential (SEP or SSEP)

d. Electroencephalography (EEG)

e. Electromyography (EMG)

f. Nerve Conduction Studies

g. Knowledge of the Axon bio-med computer, Eclypse Model (or similar type of machine), that may be used to provide services.

h. IONM personnel must maintain up-to-date knowledge of developments in the field of Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring and Evoked Potentials.

2.3 Contract personnel shall be experienced in and completely versed in the operation of all Intraoperative Monitoring equipment so that repair can be improved on an emergency basis in the event of equipment failure.

2.4 All alternate IONM personnel shall meet all the qualification and experience requirements and be approved by VA officials prior to performing work at VA San Diego Healthcare System.

2.5 Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring all applicable staff members are in compliance with ORTRAX facility requirements and any/all associated fees is considered the sole responsibility of the Contractor.

2.6 The contracted IONM personnel shall be responsible for some clerical duties in connection with the position, and direct patient contact as well as telephone contact with medical providers.

2.7 Remote Neurologists shall provide continuous, real-time intraoperative neurophysiologic oversight and clinical interpretation for all monitored surgical procedures. Remote Neurologists shall collaborate directly with the CNIM technologist to support data acquisition, interpretation, and decision-making, and shall promptly communicate clinically significant findings to the surgical team in accordance with established protocols.

2.8 During intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring procedures, the CNIM technologist performs real-time acquisition and technical management of neurophysiologic data in the operating room and maintains continuous, bidirectional communication with both the Remote Neurologist and the surgical team. The Contractor shall ensure that a qualified provider certified to interpret neurophysiologic data (e.g., audiologist, neurologist, or neurophysiologist) is actively monitoring each case remotely. This interpreting provider shall be immediately available for direct consultation and communication to support clinical interpretation, guide intraoperative monitoring decisions, and promptly relay clinically significant findings to promote patient safety and optimal surgical outcomes.

2.9 Understanding of patient triage, risks, indications and contraindications for each procedure.

2.10 If and as requested by the VA, contracted 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 of Staff or designee.

2.11 The Contractor shall provide healthcare services to eligible VA Beneficiaries.

The services shall be performed at the VA as determined by patient needs, VA interest, and the availability of equipment and technical support.

2.12 Workload and on-call coverage: The IONM procedures are scheduled and will be on an as needed basis.

2.13 Due to parking restrictions/limitations at VA San Diego, the COR will work with the VA San Diego Police to help ensure access to identified parking so as not to impact or delay critical operating room procedures.

3. QUALIFICATION CRITERIA

3.1 Personnel assigned by the Contractor to perform services covered by this contract must possess one or more attributes from each of the following areas:

Education:

a. Master’s degree in Audiology from a college accredited by the Council on

Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology

(CCA- ASHA)

b. Doctorate degree in Audiology (Au.D.) from a college accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (CCA-ASHA)

c. Doctorate degree in Medicine (M.D.) from an accredited college approved by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and Hospitals of the American Medical Association

d. Doctorate degree in Osteopathy (D.O.) from a college accredited by the American Osteopathic Association

e. Certified in Neurophysiological Intraoperative Monitoring (CNIM)

f. Diplomate of the American Board of Neurophysiologic Monitoring

(DABNM)

g. Specialty in Clinical Neurophysiology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)

h. Special Competency in Intraoperative Neuromonitoring, American

Board of Clinical Neurophysiology (ABCN)

i. Diplomate in Neurophysiology, EMG, and evoked potentials, American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM)

Certification (Specialty/Subspecialty):

a. Diplomate of the American Board of Neurophysiologic Monitoring (DABNM).

b. Subspecialty in Clinical Neurophysiology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)

c. Special Competency in Intraoperative Neuromonitoring, American

Board of Clinical Neurophysiology (ABCN)

d. Diplomate in Neurophysiology, EMG and evoked potentials, American

Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM)

e. Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology, American

Speech- Language-Hearing Association (CCC-A ASHA)

Licensure

a. If M.D. or D.O., must have a current, valid, unrestricted License to practice Medicine in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia.

b. If Au.D., must have a current, valid, unrestricted license to practice Audiology in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia.

c. CNIM Technicians shall be certified by the American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Monitoring Technologist, Inc (ABRET). The minimum competency for the Monitoring Technologist is R.

EEGT and/or R.EPT credentialed by ABRET. The preferred competency for the Monitoring Technologist is Certification in Neurophysiologic Intraoperative Monitoring (CNIM) credentialed by ABRET.

3.2 Contractor must be practicing in accordance with County, City, State and Federal Laws.

3.3 Contractor must have health clearances and training as determined by VA San Diego prior to providing any services to veterans.

3.4 The IONM personnel must have monitored at least 20 cases within the preceding calendar year.

3.5 All alternate IONM personnel must meet all the requirements and be approved by VA officials prior to performing work at VA San Diego Healthcare System.

4. KEY PERSONNEL AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SUBSTITUTIONS

4.1 The Contractor shall provide the Contracting Officer and the COR a list of Key Personnel and their National Provider Identifier (NPI) upon award of the contract and at the exercise of any option on this contract.

4.2 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. The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer, in writing, within 15 calendar days after the occurrence of any of these events and provided the information required by paragraph (c) below. After the initial 90-day period of the contract the Contractor shall submit the information required by paragraph (c) to the Contracting Officer at least 15 days prior to making any permanent substitutions.

4.3 The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer.

Proposed substitutes shall have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor within 15 calendar days after receipt of all required information of the decision on the proposed substitutes. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

4.4 The Contractor shall provide scheduled services throughout the contract period on an as-needed basis. In the event of the absence of Contractor’s personnel for any reason, the Contractor shall bear the responsibility of providing replacement personnel to provide the requested services. The POC shall arrange for pre-credentialed locum tenens coverage when contract health care providers will be unable to provide services for one (1) or more consecutive shifts.

4.5 If routine services are disrupted for more than two (2) consecutive scheduled shifts or emergent response requests, the Government reserves the right to procure such services from an alternate source, until routine services are restored by the Contractor. When the Government exercises its right to procure these services from an alternate source, the Contractor shall reimburse the Government for all charges more than the amount that would have normally been incurred by the contract.

4.5.1 A copy of the other source’s service ticket or other verifiable documentation shall be used as the basis for any reimbursement.

5. STANDARD OF CONDUCT.

5.1 The Government reserves the right to refuse acceptance of Contractor employees whose personal or professional conduct jeopardizes patient care or interferes with the regular and ordinary operation of the facility. Breaches of conduct include intoxication or debilitation resulting from drug use, theft, patient abuse, dereliction 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.

5.2 Complaints concerning Contractor employees’ conduct with Government employees or patients will be dealt with by the Contractor and the COR. The Contracting Officer is the final authority on validating complaints. If contract 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 Contracting Officer.

6. CONFLICT OF INTEREST

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. The Contractor shall not employ any person who is an employee of the VA, unless such person seeks and receives approval in accordance with the VA regulations. Nor shall the Contractor employ any person who, as a member, would create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest, particularly with regard to influencing the contract negotiations or terms of the contract. In any such case, the VA must review the matter and give its approval in accordance with agency ethics rules.

7. CONTRACTOR LIAISON.

The Contractor shall designate one (1) employee who shall be responsible for the performance of the work under the resulting contract. The liaison shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to the daily operation of the resulting contract. The liaison may be a contracted IONM Staff Member performing under the resulting contract. An alternate may be designated, but the Contractor shall identify, in writing, those times when the alternate shall act as the liaison.

Contractor Liaison:_____________________Phone:___________Email:______________

Alternate Contractor Liaison:______________Phone:___________Email:______________

8. EMERGENCIES OR COMPLICATIONS.

8.1 Contractor personnel will report any unusual incidents within 24 hours to the Administrative Officer of the Day (AOD) of the VHASDC Emergency Department or to the Emergency Department Attending in Charge.

8.2 All accidents, malfunctions, injuries and deaths related to the delivery of services shall be immediately reported verbally to the COR. The Contractor may 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 will be done within three (3) working days of the verbal report.

9. ARRANGEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT STAFF.

The Contractor shall provide scheduled services throughout the contract period. In the event of the absence of Contracted personnel for any reason, the Contractor shall coordinate an alternate with the COR. Alternate shall be fully credentialed and privileged by the VA San Diego credentialing and privileging office prior to performance.

10. ALTERNATE SOURCES.

10.1 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. 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.

10.2 A copy of the other source’s time sheet or other verifiable documentation shall be used as the basis for any reimbursement. The total amount to be reimbursed will be verified by the COR and deducted from the Contractor’s next month's invoice for services.

11. IDENTIFICATION BADGE.

An identification (ID) badge will be issued by the VA to Contractor employees providing services under the resulting contract. The appropriate ID badge shall be worn at all times while on Government facility grounds, clearly displayed on the outermost garment

(i.e. coat, jacket, sweater, shirt, blouse, lab coat etc.).

12. GOVERNMENT TRAINING AND ORIENTATION.

12.1 The VA will provide a briefing to familiarize Contractor employees with the policies and procedures on the first scheduled duty day or within a period acceptable to the VA.

12.2 The Contractor shall ensure that all contracted employees attend and participate in VA or any other mandatory training to include but not limited to VA Privacy, VA Cyber Security, Diversity, Total Quality Improvement, Annual Fire Safety and Infection Control.

13. PERSONAL HYGIENE AND CLOTHING.

In performance of this contract, Contractor employees shall be neat, clean, well-groomed and shall otherwise exercise good personal hygiene. Appropriate and professional attire shall be worn at all times. Athletic and athletic-style garments (i.e., denims, jogging suits, sweat suits, running shorts, tee-shirts, or flip-flops) shall not be worn by contract healthcare providers.

14. IMMUNIZATION WAIVER/EXEMPTIONS.

Waivers and exemptions may be granted in accordance with VA regulations and Medical Staff Bylaws.

15. DRUG SCREENING.

15.1 Contracted employees are 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:

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

15.1.1 A pattern of abnormal conduct or erratic behavior.

15.1.2 Arrest or conviction for a drug-related offense or the identification of a contracted IONM Staff Member as the focus of a criminal investigating illegal drug possession, use or trafficking.

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

15.1.4 Newly discovered evidence that the contracted IONM Staff Member has tampered with a previous drug test.

16. PATIENT SENSITIVITY.

Contracted employees shall respect and maintain the basic rights of patients, demonstrating concern for personal dignity and human relationships. This includes no patient sensitivity information that will be used on invoices.

17. MEDICAL RECORDS.

The Contractor understands that clinical or other medical records of VA beneficiaries treated by their employees under the resulting contract are VA records. Contractors who obtain access to hardware or media which may manipulate or 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 VA, shall not have access to the records unless necessary to perform their contractual duties. Any individual who has access to these data will disclose them to no one, including other employees of the Contractor not involved in the performance of the contractual duty for which access was obtained.

18. HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT (HIPAA).

18.1 Contractor shall take reasonable measures to ensure patient privacy and confidentiality. The Contractor employees assigned to provide services under the resulting contract 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 work-stations; that hard copy patient files are in secured lockable areas, that files are in lockable cabinets, that the cabinets can in fact be locked (i.e., keys are available, and the locking mechanisms work properly).

This precaution also includes the proper transfer of patient information via electronic means, such as faxing or system-to-system transmission.

18.2 Contractor employees 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 in this instrument. That only the minimum necessary patient information is 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.

18.3 The Contractor understands that all parties are bound by the requirements of the HIPAA which provide guidance on the protection of patient privacy and confidentiality. This Act mandates that all Government agencies and those bodies with whom they contract must be in compliance with the directives of the Act.

19. QUALITY ASSURANCE AND PERFORMANCE MONITORING.

19.1 Contractor employees will be held to the same standard as VA personnel through quality assurance and performance monitoring to ensure compliance under the resulting contract. After the contract is awarded, any incidents as evidenced by the monitoring procedures will be forwarded immediately to the Contracting Officer.

In addition, the COR will forward the summary evaluation of the Contractor performance to the Contracting Officer annually and once performance ends.

19.2 Timeliness and productivity measures will be rated based on productivity and workload reports and the average performance of like peers. Any concerns or negative trends will be immediately reported to the Contracting Officer, along with reports of positive trends and productivity.

19.3 Customer Service will be measured based on documented, substantiated, patient and/or staff complaints or compliments. Any substantiated customer service complaint will be immediately reported to the Contracting Officer. Reported compliments and positive feedback will also be reported through the Contracting Officer to reinforce this performance.

20. THE JOINT COMMISSION.

20.1 Contractor employees shall be subject to the same quality assurance standards in meeting or exceeding current recognized National Standards as established by The Joint Commission (TJC). Copies of the quality assurance standards are on file in the VA San Diego Quality Management department and will be available to the Contractor. 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.

20.2 The personnel provided by the Contractor 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. Contract personnel shall be responsible for compliance with all procedures in accordance with applicable VA San Diego written policies, procedures, Bylaws of the Medical Staff and protocols. Copies of the Bylaws will be available to all Contractor employees and are located within the Quality Management department. They shall not introduce new procedures or services without prior recommendation to and approval of the Chief of Staff (COS) or authorized representative(s) and through the Contracting Officer.

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

21. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL (HHS/OIG)

REQUIREMENTS.

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

22. EVIDENCE OF INSURANCE COVERAGE.

Before commencing work under this contract, the Contractor shall furnish certification to the Contracting Officer that the insurance coverage required per VAAR 852.237 has been obtained. Such evidence of insurance will not be waived.

23. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL POLICY.

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

a. Worker’s compensation

b. Professional liability insurance

c. Health examinations

d. Income tax withholdings

e. Social Security withholdings

23.2 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 San Diego 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).

24. COMPUTER SECURITY.

In the performance of official duties, if the Contractor employees have regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data that must be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy, the contracted IONM personnel are responsible for:

a. Protecting the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion.

b. Following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the access agreement which the contract personnel will sign.

25. OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY.

Any overtime and/or holiday pay that may be entitled to the Contractor employees shall be the sole responsibility of the Contractor and shall not be billed to nor reimbursed by the Government.

26. NATIONAL HOLIDAY

Although normal working hours are generally 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, payment shall be for actual cases worked at VA San Diego.

26.1 Listed below are the eleven national holidays:

New Year’s Day January 1

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Third Monday in January

President’s Day Third Monday in February

Memorial Day Last Monday in May

Juneteenth June 19

Independence Day July 4

Labor Day First Monday in September

Columbus Day Second Monday in October

Veterans Day November 11

Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November

Christmas Day December 25

26.2 When one of the holidays falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will be observed as a national holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed as a national holiday by U.S. Government Agencies. Also included would be any day specifically declared by the President of the United States of America as a national holiday.

27. PAYMENTS.

Contractor shall accept payment for services rendered under the resulting contract as payment in full and will not bill the Veteran or his/her third-party insurer for any services covered under the resulting contract.

28. INVOICE AND PAYMENT.

28.1 Payment is to be made monthly in arrears. All invoices from the Contractor shall be submitted in accordance with the instructions per VAAR 852.232-72, Electronic Submission of Payment Requests included in section C of this solicitation.

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.

28.2 Any invoice discrepancies found shall be brought to the attention of the Contractor and shall be resolved. A corrected invoice must then be submitted by the Contractor as instructed by the Government. Patients shall not be invoiced for services. The invoice MUST be itemized to include the following information:

a. Name and address of Contractor

b. Contractor’s tax ID number

c. Contractor’s employee Name

d. Date and Hours worked

e. Fees being charged for services rendered

f. Extended amount due

g. Invoice number, date, obligation number, and task order number

28.3 Vendor Electronic Invoice Submission Methods: Invoices will be electronically submitted to the Tungsten Automation website at https://www.tungstenautomation.com/ Tungsten Automation direct vendor support number is 877-489-6135 for VA contracts. The VA-FSC pays all associated transaction fees for VA orders. During Implementation (technical set-up) Tungsten Automation will confirm your Taxpayer ID Number with the VA-FSC. This process can take up to 5 business days to complete to ensure your invoice is automatically routed to your Certifying Official for approval and payment. In order to successfully submit an invoice to VA-FSC please review “How to Create an Invoice” within the how to guides. All invoices submitted through Tungsten Automation to the VA-FSC should mirror your current submission of Invoice, with the following items required.

Clarification of additional requirements should be confirmed with your Certifying Official (your CO or buyer). The VA-FSC requires specific information in compliance with the Prompt Pay Act and Business Requirements. For additional information, please contact:

Tungsten Support Phone: 1-877-489-6135 Website: https://www.tunsgtenauomation.com/

Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Service Center Phone: 1-877-353-9791 https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

28.4 Payments in full/no billing VA beneficiaries: The Contractor shall accept payment for services rendered under this contract as payment in full. VA beneficiaries shall not under any circumstances be charged nor their insurance companies charged for services rendered by the Contractor, even if VA does not pay for those services. This provision shall survive the termination or ending of the contract. To the extent that the Veteran desires services which are not a VA benefit or covered under the terms of this contract, the Contractor must notify the Veteran that there will be a charge for such service and that the VA will not be responsible for payment. The Contractor shall not bill, charge, collect a deposit from, seek compensation, remuneration, or reimbursement from, or have any recourse against, any person or entity other than VA for services provided pursuant to this contract. It shall be considered fraudulent for the Contractor to bill other third-party insurance sources (including Medicare) for services rendered to Veteran enrollees under this contract.

29. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.

https://www.tungstenautomation.com/ https://www.tunsgtenauomation.com/ https://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

29.1 Position Risk and Sensitivity Designations. The position sensitivity for the resulting contract has been designated as LOW RISK. Position Risk and Sensitivity Designations are directly tied to background investigative requirements. A position designated as Low Risk requires a National Agency Check with Inquires (NACI).

29.2 The Office of Security and Law Enforcement provides Department-wide policy on the assignment of appropriate position sensitivity designations associated with DVA positions involving national security and public trust responsibilities, and on the level of background investigations required for applicants for, and incumbents of, those positions.

29.3 IAW VA Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program, appointees and contract personnel appointed to Low/Moderate/High Risk positions must be subjects of a background investigation conducted by OPM 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.

29.4 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 based on the type of access required. The level of sensitivity will determine the depth of investigation and cost.

29.5 The Contractor shall be required to furnish all applicable employee information required to conduct the investigation, such as, but not limited to, the name, address, and social security number of the Contractor’s personnel. The VA will provide all the necessary instructions and guidance for submission of the documents required to conduct the background investigation. Background investigations shall not be required for contract personnel assigned to Low Risk/Non-sensitive positions for one-hundred and eighty (180) days or less under a single contract or series of contracts. However, a Security Access Clearance (SAC) background screening will be required for appropriate preliminary checks IAW VA Directive 0710, Personnel Security and Suitability Program, http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=487&FTyp.

29.6 Security Incident Investigation.

29.6.1. The term “security incident” means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss, or damage to VA assets or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall immediately notify the COR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the Contractor/Subcontractor has access.

29.6.2. To the extent known by the Contractor/Subcontractor, the Contractor/ Subcontractor’s notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and http://www.va.gov/vapubs/viewPublication.asp?Pub_ID=487&FTyp where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the Contractor/Subcontractor considers relevant.

29.6.3. In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the Contractor/Subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The Contractor, its employees, and its Subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The Contractor/Subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident.

30. POST-AWARD PERFORMANCE CONFERNECE.

Upon request, the Contractor shall participate in a post-award orientation conference as directed in the Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL) Information Letter (IL) number 003A3-12-04. The conference will include the Contracting Officer, COR, Program Manager, Contractor, and other designated. They will meet quarterly thereafter to ensure that the Contractors are meeting and/or exceeding the contracts requirements.