EPRP Solicitation Vendor Consolidated QA 1.3.25 FINAL.xlsx
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- Solicitation number
- 36C77624R0117
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) document containing five rounds of Q&A exchanges related to solicitation 36C77624R0117 for the Department of Veterans Affairs' External Peer Review Program (EPRP).
The Q&A clarifies key details including: proposal due date extended to January 17, 2025 at 2:00pm Eastern; period of performance includes 2-month onboarding followed by 12-month base period plus four 12-month options starting approximately Q3 FY25; no travel costs should be proposed as travel will be handled as direct reimbursable; email submissions cannot exceed 40MB; technical volume limited to 25 pages with resumes excluded from count; abstractors average 25 measures per record reviewing approximately 168,000 records annually (22,000 Sepsis, 11,000 Primary Care, 135,000 Prevention Indicators); contractors must develop their own data collection, reporting and reconsideration systems as incumbent systems will not transfer; all work is performed remotely within VA firewall; and contractors must meet VA/federal IT security requirements. The incumbent is currently performing the work and there will be no backlog of reviews.
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Q&A 1
| Document and | Section Name & Number | Question | Answer | |
| Page Number | ||||
| 1. | General | N/A | RFP Text: Proposal due date/time: 1/13/2025 2:00 PM (EST) | The due date has been extended to January 17, 2025 at 2:00pm (Eastern), Reference Amendment 2 posted on SAM.gov |
| Question: Given the holiday season, would the Department consider extending the proposal due date to provide bidders with additional time to develop a more thorough and comprehensive proposal? | No | |||
| 2. | General | N/A | Question: Will the incumbent be responsible for transitioning any relevant materials to a new contractor? | No |
| 3. | Solicitation Notice | Standard Form 1449 | RFP Text: 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER) | Block 31a is for the Government, the vendor will sign block 30. |
| Page 1 of 115 | Question: Please clarify the signature required for 31a. In the event the bidder does not have a Contracting Officer, should the bidder leave this line blank or indicate N/A? Please note that the VA does not provide any information (e.g., signatures/references) when bidders bid on new business. | |||
| 4. | Solicitation Notice | B.3 Price/Cost Schedule | RFP Text: Item 0008 states" not to exceed 3". | CLIN 0008 has a quantity of Not to Exceed 3 in the base period only. |
| Page 7 of 115 | Question: This deliverable is listed as not to exceed 4 in option years 1-4. Should it be 3 for the 12-month base period? The SOD in the SOW lists it as 4 times per year. | |||
| 5. | Solicitation Notice | Section D - Contract Documents, Exhibits, or Attachments | RFP Text: 6.0 General Requirements | The attachments that do not match Section D of the solicitation are from the presolicitation notice. Refer to the solicitation posting on sam.gov for the correct attachments as shown in Section D of the solicitation. |
| Page 73 of 115 | · See attached document: S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24. | |||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment B - FY24 Facility List. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment C - Travel Authorization Request. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment D - Sample Algorithm. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment E - Sample Instrument. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment F - Business Associate Profile Questionnaire Fillable. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment G - VHA 1605.05 Business Associate Agreement. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment H - Small Business Subcontracting Plan. | ||||
| Question: Some of the attachments provided with this opportunity were labeled differently than the file naming convention listed in Section D (restated above). Below are the different alpha file names: | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment B - Travel Authorization Request. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment C - Sample Algorithm. | ||||
| · See attached document: S02 - Attachment D - Sample Instrument. | ||||
| Also, two attachments are missing: the FY24 Facility List and the VHA 1605.05 Business Associate Agreement. Can you please provide those to bidders? | ||||
| 6. | Solicitation Notice | (F) (1) Proposal Files – Format of Submission | RFP Text: All information shall be confined to the appropriate volume file. NO PRICE INFORMATION IS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE TECHNICAL VOLUMES. An additional sanitized copy of the technical proposal shall also be submitted. It should remove all company identifying information including business logos, names, etc. The Offeror shall confine submissions to essential matters, sufficient to define the proposal and provide an adequate basis for evaluation. Offerors are responsible for including sufficient details, in a concise manner, to permit a complete and accurate evaluation of each volume submitted. | Correct, bidders shall submit two electronic copies of Volume 1, one containing the company names, logos, etc. and one without identifying information. One copy shall be submitted for Volumes II-V. |
| Page 79 of 115 | Question: Please clarify the expectation for this requirement specifically, | |||
| “An additional sanitized copy of the technical proposal shall also be submitted.” It should remove all company identifying information, including business logos, names, etc.” | ||||
| Does this mean the bidder needs to submit two electronic copies of Volume 1—one that includes names and logos and one that does not, basically de-identifying the entire volume? | ||||
| Does the bidder only submit one copy of Volumes II-V and can these include names/logos? | ||||
| 7. | Solicitation Notice | Volume I - Technical | RFP Text: Maximum 25-page limit | Reference Section E.3 52.212-1 ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES. This provision contains Proposal Files - Format of Submission instructions including what is included and not included in the page count. |
| Page 80-81 of 115 | Question: Since the technical volume has a maximum page limit of 25, can the bidder include any necessary graphics, diagrams, or process flows in an appendix? | |||
| 8. | Solicitation Notice | Volume V - Signed Offer and Other Required Submittals, (1)-(11). | RFP Text: Each offeror must submit the following: (1)-(11). | Refer to Section E of the solicitation for all information to be submitted with your proposal. |
| Page 83-84 of 115 | Question: Are there any other items than those listed in (1)-(11) in this section or any other RFP document that the offeror needs to submit along with its proposal? If so, please specifically list the other items required for submittal. We want to ensure we submit all required documents. | |||
| 9. | Solicitation Notice | Volume V - Signed Offer and Other Required Submittals, Number (7) | RFP Text: (7) This solicitation contains FAR provision 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment. | This solicitation contract requires the use and/or completion of this provision as applicable. |
| Page 83-84 of 115 | Question: What is the requirement associated with this statement, if any? | |||
| 10. | Solicitation Notice | Volume V - Signed Offer and Other Required Submittals, Number (9) | RFP Text: (9) Business Associate Agreement (Attachment G) | Please see posted Solicitation, all attachments are located on SAM.gov. |
| Page 83-84 of 115 | Question: The solicitation did not include an | |||
| 11. | S02 - Attachment A | N/A | RFP Text: Throughout the RFP it references EPRP Liaison, Facility Liaison and Liaison. | EPRP Liaison is the standard term, yes they are interchangeable with Facility Liaison or just Liaison. |
| Question: For clarification are these terms all used interchangeably to refer to the same “person/liaison”? So an EPRP Liaison is also referred to as a Facility Liaison or just liaison. | ||||
| 12. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 7 | 5.1 Task 1 – Preparation for Data Collection | RFP Text: Measure specifications include those applicable to external accrediting bodies (i.e., the Joint Commission (TJC) or Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)) and/or community standards organizations (e.g., National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) or National Quality Forum (NQF) measures, specialized measures to support VHA program office requirements, and e-measurement studies. The Contractor shall keep API-PM appraised of measurement changes supported by national measure developers (such as The Joint Commission; the National Committee for Quality Assurance; HEDIS) on a quarterly basis. | CMS/NCQA/JC are the main agencies. Specifics are available using the agencies website. We cannot provide access to our eTM. |
| Question: Would you please provide the list of the external accrediting bodies and community standards organizations as well as the list of measures for each and/or provide an accessible link to the electronic Technical Manual (eTM). | ||||
| 13. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 8 | 5.1 Task 1 – Preparation for Data Collection, Documentation Requirements | RFP Text: The Contractor shall utilize the most current version of the measure specifications and data abstraction tools for immediate implementation of medical record reviews within 30 calendar days prior to the expiration of the current contract to maintain continuity of the Performance Measurement Program through the Fiscal Year under review. | No. |
| Question: Will the new contractor have access to incumbent staff and (tech) infrastructure during this 30-day period? | ||||
| 14. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 10 | 5.2 Task 2 Data Collection | RFP Text: The pull lists average is 50,000 records, which are identified by a control number. | This number varies with facility services, quarter and cohort being used. Would vaguely estimate 25 per record. |
| Question: What is the average number of measures per record? | ||||
| 15. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 13 | 5.2 Task 2 – Deliverable 2.1 Record Review | RFP Text: The report shall include: Facility number; date of sample; data interval collected; Exit Conference date; Measure mnemonic; measure name and description; as well as numerator and denominator totals for discharges before January 1 of year and after January 1 of the year; quarter to date and year to date scores. | Since review is retrospective it is not definitive to say all cases reviewed at one time are Jan 1 and forward. For example, January cases (cases are distributed in Feb. Several of the cohorts have 1-3 month lookback and would be pre Jan 1, which is why we have pre and post on the report. |
| Question: Please clarify the time period for the discharges numerator and denominator. | ||||
| 16. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 14 | 5.3 Task 3- Database | RFP Text: The Contractor shall develop and maintain a database of specifications, specifically individual data elements. Additionally, a database containing all data that can be linked to VHA’s website shall be included. | No. |
| Question: Will we receive access to the current database from the incumbent in order to continue the transition while a new database is developed? | ||||
| 17. | S02 - Attachment A, | 5.1 Task 3 and other relevant task | RFP Text: N/A | The PWS does not require continuation of the current IT environment /product. The offeror must propose a solution to meet VA/Federal IT standards. Systems must meet VA/federal requirements detailed within the solicitation, including the PWS, and solicitation clauses and provisions. |
| Pages 14-16, as well as other pages. | Question: What does the current IT environment provide? Can we leverage cloud platforms and which one, AWS, Azure or GCP? Can you provide some details about the on-prem environment if we cannot consider cloud platforms? | |||
| 18. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 23 | 5.10 Task 10 – Electronic Quality Measures ECQM Development (Optional) | RFP Text: The Contractor will provide an analysis report on the viability of data sources aligning with electronic measure specifications along with a technical design on how to integrate those data sources into the existing API-PM electronic measurement system. | 2-3 annually |
| Question: How many de novo eCQMs does the VA anticipate having the contractor develop, versus adapting existing eCQMs or chart-abstracted measures for use in VA programs? | ||||
| 19. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 23 | 5.10 Task 10 – Electronic Quality Measures ECQM Development (Optional) | RFP Text: The Contractor will provide an analysis report on the viability of data sources aligning with electronic measure specifications along with a technical design on how to integrate those data sources into the existing API-PM electronic measurement system. | VA will provide timelines for eCQM development based on VHA priorities and requirements. |
| Question: Is the VA expecting the contractor to follow the measure development timelines outlined in the Measures Blueprint, or is a modified approach anticipated for the development of de novo measures? | ||||
| 20. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 23 | 5.10 eCQM Development | RFP Text: N/A | Should include both. |
| Question: Should testing include measure score reliability and measure score validity testing? Or should it focus on validation of data elements? | ||||
| 21. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 23 | 5.11 Task 10 Electronic Quality Measures ECQM Development (optional) | RFP Text: The Contractor shall work collaboratively with API-PM staff to develop, validate, and implement electronic quality measures (eQM) | Yes, see Question and Answer 18 above. |
| Question: What is the timing of this optional task: should offerors plan to develop eCQMS each year? | ||||
| 22. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 23 | 5.13 Schedule For Deliverables | RFP Text: Deliverables 1.1A and 1.1B include New Technical Specifications- Low to Moderate Complexity quantity is listed as 10 and High Complexity listed as 2 specifications, while quarterly revisions (1.2) lists 4 as the quantity in the schedule for deliverables. | Existing specifications are only considered new when the new specifications change the intent of the existing measure. |
| Question: Can you provide clarification on the Unit/Qty of new versus revised specifications? Can substantive quarterly revisions be considered new technical specifications? | ||||
| 23. | S02 - Attachment A, Page 30 | 6.0 General Requirements | RFP Text: 6.0 General Requirements | Section 6.0 General Requirements includes additional requirements associated with the overall effort and may aid in drafting some aspects of an offeror's proposal. The awardee will be required to comply with this section. |
| Question: Does the bidder need to respond to any requirements under section 6.0 General Requirements outlined in the PWS or just those under 5.0 Specific Tasks and Deliverables? | ||||
| 24 | Attachment A, p. 23 | 5.10 Task 10 – Electronic Quality Measures ECQM Development (Optional) | RFP Text: 5.10 Task 10 – Electronic Quality Measures ECQM Development (Optional) | eCQM development is for all facilities regardless of EHR. |
| Question: Does the VHA anticipate that new eCQMs will be developed only for facilities with Cerner/Oracle EHR, or will new eCQMs also be developed for facilities using VISTA under this contract? | ||||
| If the former, when would extension of the Cerner/Oracle EHR to additional facilities begin, and how many facilities should we assume will be using Cerner/Oracle EHR by the end of the contract? | ||||
| 25. | Solicitation Notice | Schedule of supplies services Page 1 | RFP Text: The period of performance shall include an initial 2 month onboarding followed by a 12 month base plus 4-12 month option periods. | Dates are TBD, estimated 3rd quarter FY25. |
| Question: What is the date of award notification? | ||||
| Question: What date will the initial 2-month onboarding begin? | ||||
| 26. | Solicitation Notice | Schedule of supplies services Page 1 | RFP Text: The period of performance shall include an initial 2-month onboarding followed by a 12 month base plus 4-12 month option periods. | Yes, work is being performed currently. |
| Question: Is this work being performed currently? | ||||
| Question: If not, will there be a backlog of reviews? |
Q&A 2
| Document - RFP or PWS | Page Number | Relevant RFP Text | Question | Responses |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 79 of 115 & 80 of 115 | E.3 52.212-1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, Section (F), (1) Proposal Files - Format for Submission & (6) Volume Number and File Name; An additional sanitized copy of the technical proposal shall also be submitted. It should remove all company identifying information including, business logos, names, etc. | What Volume Number and/or File Name should the Offeror use for the submission of the sanitized copy of the Technical Proposal? | No specific naming convention is required for the sanitized copy other than a reference to it being sanitized. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 80 of 115 | E.3 52.212-1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Products and Commercial Services, Section F (6), Volume III Price, File Name | Volume III file format is in Excel. Would it be allowable to submit Volume III in PDF format? | It should be submitted in excel format, a price schedule excel document will be uploaded to SAM.gov for your use. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 81 of 115 | Volume II Past Performance Factor | The instructions state that you have 3 pages per contract. Does this apply to Section 1 Contract Descriptions? | Yes. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 83 of 115 | Volume III - Price Factor - General Question | What is the 2 month onboarding period of performance start date? | Dates are TBD, estimated 3rd quarter FY25. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 83 of 115 | Volume III - Price Factor - General Question | What is the base year period of performance start date? | Dates are TBD, estimated 3rd quarter FY25. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 83 of 115 | Volume III - Price Factor - The Offeror shall complete Section B, Price Schedule, of the solicitation. | Will the Government provide a template of the Section B Pricing Schedule (as an attachment)? Or should the Offeror develop their own? | Template will be added to SAM.gov. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 83 of 115 | Volume V, Section 2, (2) f. DUNS Number, Quote Summary/Cover Sheet | Is DUNS number still required as the Government has transitioned this out and uses the SAM Unique Entity Identifier Number? | No, a DUNS is not required. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 84 of 115 & 97 of 115 | Volume V, Section 7 & E.16 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Products and Commercial Services | The Offeror has completed its representations and certifications in SAM.gov, does the Offeror need to include all the pages of Section E.16 in Volume V? Or does the Offeror only need to include paragraph (b)(2) of the representations and certifications in Volume V? | Only paragraph (b)(2). |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 84 of 115 & 85 of 115 | Volume V, Section 7 & E.4 52.204-24 Representation Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment; This solicitation contains FAR provision 52.204-24. | If the Offeror has attested in SAM.gov that it does not provide telecommunications equipment or services, is an acknowledgement or response to E.4 required in Volume V? | This solicitation/contract requires the use and/or completion of this provision as applicable. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 84 of 115 & 89 of 115 | Volume V, Section 6 & E.6 52.209-7 Information Regarding Responsibility Matters (Oct 2018); This solicitation contains provision 52.209-7... Offerors must indicate if they have Federal contracts and grants with a total value greater than $10,000,000. | If the Offeror has attested in SAM.gov regarding Responsibility Matters, is an acknowledgement or response to E.6 required in Volume V? | No (This would only be required if you check "have" in your Certs and Reps to Responsibility Matters, 52.209-5) |
| S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 27 of 62 & 28 of 62 | 5.14 Contractor Personnel, a. Key Personnel, 4. | For Key Personnel requiring a full-time position, is it allowable to meet the full-time requirement with more than one person? (For example, may one full-time coordinator be filled with 2 people at half-time each to be an equivalent full-time position?) | Due to the nature of the work, especially for these key staff, and the need for consistency one person is recommended for each full time position. |
| 502-Attachment A - PWS EPRP | 22 of 62 | Deliverable 9.1 Training and Education | The deliverable centers on contractor participation in API-PM education offerings and meetings. Are these meetings directed towards the VA facility liaisons? | Can include other appropriate facility staff and stakeholders. |
| 502-Attachment A - PWS EPRP | 25 of 62 | Deliverable 12.1 and 12.2 Measure Development and Coordination (Low to Moderate Complexity, High Complexity) | So that all offerors are pricing to similar specifications, would the Government clarify whether measure development and coordination deliverables require the contractor to connect to the API-PM help desk and provide customer service? | No. |
| 502-Attachment A - PWS EPRP | 25 of 62 | Deliverable 12.1 Measure Development and Coordination Low to Moderate Complexity | So that all offerors are pricing to similar specifications, would the Government clarify whether deliverable 12.1 require completion of all tasks listed for each measure developed? | Yes. |
| 502-Attachment A - PWS EPRP | 25 of 62 | Deliverable 12.2 Measure Development and Coordination High Complexity | So that all offerors are pricing to similar specifications, would the Government clarify whether deliverable 12.2 require completion of all tasks listed for each measure developed? | Yes. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 82 of 115 | Volume II – Past Performance Factor | Would the Government please confirm that the three-page per reference limit applies only to the Section 1 – Contract Descriptions content required for each individual reference? | No, the 3 page limit applies to the complete past performance reference submitted. |
| 36C77624R0117_1 | 80 of 115 | Volume II – Past Performance Factor | Would the Government please confirm that the overall page limit for Volume II, Factor 2: Past Performance is unlimited per the table in E.3 52.212-1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services (F) (6)? | Correct, there is no page limit for Volume II, Past Performance. However, there is a maximum of 3 pages per reference submitted within the volume. |
Q&A 3
| Question # | Heading or Section #/Title | Relevant RFP Language | Question | Answer |
| 1 | Document 36C77624R0117, E.3 52.212-1 Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 Instructions To Offerors—Commercial Products And Commercial Services | Page 84, “Cover pages, tables of contents, resumes, and/or glossary of abbreviations or acronyms will not be included in the page count of the Volumes.” | Does “cover pages” include both a cover and a cover letter, both to be excluded from the page count? | Yes, cover pages include both a cover and cover letter. |
| 2 | Document 36C77624R0117_1, Section E.3/ S02-Attachment A-PWS+EPRP Section 4.3 Travel | RFP: NTE Travel:Pricing shall not be submitted with these associated contract line items. PWS: Federal Travel Regulations are handled as a direct reimbursable by the agency and will be priced on a fixed, not to exceed line item. | The RFP document states in bold print that Offerors are not to include travel costs in their proposal. The PWS (Attachment A) gives travel estimates and indicates that travel will be priced on a fixed price. If the Offeror does not include travel estimates in their submission, how will travel be contractually agreed to when it is needed for the contract? | If travel is required, travel will be handled as a direct reimbursable by the agency in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations. |
| 3 | Document 36C77624R0117_1, Section 5.3 Volume V (6) | Offerors must indicate if they have Federal contract and grants with a total value greater than $10,000,000. | Is this applicable to each Federal contract/grant or Offerors total Federal contracts/grants? Is the $10,000,000 value an annual value or a contract life value? | Any total contract life value over $10,000,000. |
| 4 | Are there any size restrictions on submission email attachments. Could you please provide guidance on the preferred method for submitting large proposal files, or provide alternative submission methods for large files? | Any submission email cannot exceed 40MB. Should an offerors complete submission exceed this size, the submission emails shall reference the Offeror's name, RFP Identifier, and Project Title and email X of X (indicating the appropriate number as applicable) in the subject line of each email. | ||
| 5 | 52.212-1 ADDENDUM, QUOTE/PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS | VOLUME I - TECHNICAL: , p. 84 and 85, and “b) Provide resumes for key personnel (including subcontractors) proposed, and detail their duties and responsibilities as related to the requirements in the PWS. | We understand that resumes are not included in the page count, as established on page 84 of the solicitation, however does the government prefer to see resumes submitted in Section B in the technical volume, between the summary and the technical approach narrative, or as a separate attachment? | Submit with the technical volume. |
| 6 | Should the the RFP subcontracting plan be included in Volume V or as a separate submission. Could you please clarify where the subcontracting plan should be submitted? Additionally, could you provide detailed guidance on the specific formatting and content expectations for this plan, ensuring alignment with VA's subcontracting goals? | You can submit the plan with Volume V. Attachment H, small business subcontracting plan, provides a template for the subcontracting plan. | ||
| 7 | Document 36C77624R0117_1, E.12 VAAR 852.239-71 Information System Security Plan And Accreditation (Feb 2023) | Page 97, “All offers submitted in response to this solicitation or request for quotation shall address the approach for completing the security plan and accreditation requirements in clause 852.239–70, Security Requirements for Information Technology Resources.” | Please clarify which volume this “approach for completing the security plan and accreditation requirements” should be included in. | Volume V. |
| 8 | Attachment A – PWS | Page 14 - The Contractor shall develop and maintain a database of specifications, specifically individual data elements. Additionally, a database containing all data that can be linked to VHA’s website shall be included. The Contractor shall develop and maintain a database for the comparison of individual medical centers to its VISN groupings, the entire VHA system and other groupings as requested. | Will the existing system transition to a new contractor or will components need to be created/rebuilt? | No. |
| 9 | Attachment A – PWS | Page 31 - Within 3 business days after award, the Contractor shall provide a roster of Contractor and Sub-Contractor employees to the COR/PM to begin their background investigations. The roster shall contain the Contractor’s Full Name, Full Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, and individual | Is the Government willing to extend this timeline to the end of the transition period to allow for new contractors other than the incumbent to secure or rebadge employees? | No. |
| 10 | Attachmet A – PWS | Page 29 – This data abstraction occurs remotely (from within the VA firewall) and on site at the Medical Center. | Can the Government please provide the number of abstractors that are expected to be on-site and where those sites are located? | Abstraction is performed remotely. |
| 11 | Attachment A – PWS | Page 29 - . The Regional Managers shall be Registered Nurse (RN), Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) with at least 3 years of experience abstracting medical records and proficiency with the dataset questions, scoring algorithms, and use of the abstraction software. | As the abstraction software is specific to the EPRP contract, can alternate experience with data abstraction tools be substituted for this requirement? | Individual must meet minimum requirement detailed on Page 29. |
| 12 | Attachment A – PWS | Page 25 – Schedule of Deliverables | Can the Government please clarify the timeline given there is a 2-month transition period? | The deliverable timeline will begin after the 2-month onboarding period is complete. |
| Deliverable 2.1 -- First review must be completed within thirty (30) calendar days of receipt of first pull list once the contract is awarded. Each monthly case list completed within thirty (30) calendar days of issue | ||||
| 13 | Attachment A – PWS | Page 26 – Schedule of Deliverables | Can the Government please clarify the timeline given there is a 2-month transition period? | The deliverable timeline will begin after the 2-month onboarding period is complete. |
| Deliverable 2.2A - Develop Reconsideration database within twenty (20) days of start of contract | ||||
| 14 | Based on our review of the solicitation documents, we understand this work involves accessing existing VA systems rather than developing new systems, and therefore a new Authority to Operate (ATO) is not required for this effort. We seek confirmation that: | 1. ATO is vendor specific and will be required. 2. No, the work involves contractor based systems with data being transferred to VA. 3. Yes | ||
| 1. This effort does not require the contractor to develop any new systems requiring an ATO | ||||
| 2. The work primarily involves using existing VA systems for EPRP services | ||||
| 3. The security requirements focus on system access, data protection, and compliance with VA security protocols rather than system development | ||||
| Please confirm our understanding is correct regarding ATO requirements for this effort. |
Q&A 4
| Column1 | Column2 | Column3 | Column4 | Answers | |
| 1 | |||||
| Will the Government confirm existing secure websites (including Data Collection Questions, Reports, etc.) will be transferred to the new awardee? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | Deliverable 2.2A. Reconsideration Database Process Tool | Data collection questions will be provided, existing secure non-VA websites will not be provided/transferred. | ||
| 2 | Will the government please provide the adjectival rating scale for all evaluation factors? | 36C77624R0117_1 | Evaluation Procedures, pg 98 | These will not be provided. | |
| 3 | Section 5.14 states, "All personnel utilized in the performance of this contract shall meet the minimum experience, education or other background requirements set forth and shall be fully capable of performing in an efficient, reliable and professional manner." |
As it relates to the Program Director position, it appears there are two possible minimum requirements:
1. "If the Program Director is a physician, s/he shall maintain a current, valid and unrestricted license and shall be an active member of the clinical staff of one or more hospitals accredited by external accrediting bodies (i.e., TJC or CARF) and/or community standards (i.e., NCQA or NQS). In addition, s/he shall be Board Certified, with more than 10 years of medical experience, and, be recognized as a leader in the peer review community and shall have demonstrated skills in managing complex projects involving the evaluation of care in a multi-center healthcare system."
2. "If the Program Director is not a physician, The Contractor shall identify equivalent clinical and managerial qualifications, including licenses and certifications."
Additionally, "candidates with fewer years of experience shall be considered if the experience is sufficiently broad to assure performance of the requirements."
Will the government provide clarification as to the one set of minimum requirements for the Program Director key personnel position? S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 5.14 Contractor Personnel If the proposed individual is not a physician, they will need to identify equivalent clinical and managerial qualifications, including licenses, certifications and affiliations. They will also require more than 10 years of medical experience, and, be recognized as a leader in the peer review community and shall have demonstrated skills in managing complex projects involving the evaluation of care in a multi-center healthcare system.
4 Section 5.14 states, "All personnel utilized in the performance of this contract shall meet the minimum experience, education or other background requirements set forth and shall be fully capable of performing in an efficient, reliable and professional manner."
As it relates to the Lead Analyst position, requirements are layed out clearly describing the minimum education and required experience they must have to be considered sufficient for the key role. However, the final requirement contradicts the minimum requirements by stating, "Candidates with varying credentials, including education and years of experience shall be considered if the educational qualifications and experience are sufficiently broad to assure performance of the requirements.
| Will the government please clarify what the minimum requirements are for the Lead Analyst to be considered acceptable to fill this role? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.14 Contractor Personnel | Removed the sentence: "Candidates with varying credentials, including education and years of experience shall be considered if the educational qualifications and experience are sufficiently broad to assure performance of the requirements." | ||
| 5 | As it relates to the Program Director key position, section 5.14 states provides criteria for two different types of candidates. One set of requirements for physicians, and a second for non-physicians. Will the government clarify which type of candidate meets the desired skillset to fill this role and will be scored more favoribly during evaluation? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.14 Contractor Personnel | See response to question 3 above. | |
| 6 | Could the government provide a comprehensive list of the technology and software stack that will be made available to the new contractor for the peer review process at Quality Insight? Please include specifics on data collection tools, reconsideration submission, database, SAS, reporting, QI EPRP website, and authentication/authorization. | General | N/A | No, technology and software will not be provided. | |
| 7 | Will the government confirm the awardee will not be responsible for Other Direct Costs (ODCs) of this program? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 8 | What technology/software stack is currently being used for the DCQ software used by abstractors | General | N/A | Technology and software will not be provided | |
| 9 | Will this DCQ software be transitioned to the new awardee, or will the awardee need to develop their own data collection system? | General | N/A | No the Data Collection Questions (DCQ) software will not be transferred, new vendor must develop | |
| 10 | What are the expected ODC charges for licensing, maintaining, or developing the DCQ software? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 11 | What technology/software stack is currently being used for the Reporting/Analytics Tools | General | N/A | Technology and software will not be provided | |
| 12 | Will these reporting tools be transitioned to the new awardee, or will the awardee need to develop new reporting capabilities? | General | N/A | No they will not be transitioned to the new vendor. Tools are developed by vendor. | |
| 13 | What are the expected ODC charges for licensing, maintaining, or developing the reporting/analytics tools? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 14 | What is the current technology infrastructure supporting the Reconsideration database process tool? | General | N/A | Technology and software will not be provided | |
| 15 | Will the current Reconsideration database process tool be transitioned to the new awardee, or will the awardee need to develop a new reconsideration system? | General | N/A | No they will not be transitioned to the new vendor. Tools are developed by vendor. | |
| 16 | What are the expected ODC charges for licensing, maintaining, or developing the reconsideration system? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 17 | What technology/systems are currently used to manage Authentication/Access Control? | General | N/A | Technology and software will not be provided | |
| 18 | What are the expected ODC charges for implementing and maintaining authentication/access control systems? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 19 | What technology platforms are currently used for Administrative/Communication Tools | General | N/A | None. | |
| 20 | Will these administrative and communication tools be transitioned to the new awardee, or will the awardee need to develop new systems? | General | N/A | No they will not be transitioned to the new vendor. | |
| 21 | What are the expected ODC charges for licensing, maintaining, or developing administrative/communication tools? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 22 | What technology platforms are currently used for Training/Education including Microlearning | General | N/A | Youtube videos and power point. | |
| 23 | Will these training and education tools be transitioned to the new awardee, or will the awardee need to develop new training platforms? | General | N/A | No they will not be transitioned to the new vendor. | |
| 24 | What are the expected ODC charges for licensing, maintaining, or developing training/education platforms? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 25 | For systems that won't be transitioned, what are the government's requirements and expectations for replacement systems? | General | N/A | Systems must meet VA/federal requirements detailed within the solicitation, including the PWS, and solicitaion clauses and provisions. | |
| 26 | What data migration requirements exist for historical information from current systems to the new system if the systems wont be transitioned? | General | N/A | The vendor will not need access to historical data from the current contract. | |
| 27 | What are the expected ODC charges associated with data migration and system transition activities? | General | N/A | There are no separately charged ODC's in or related to this contract. Please refer to the contract pricing schedule. | |
| 28 | Please confirm the government is responsible for managing the help desk. | General | N/A | The VA manages the help desk referenced in section 5.12, task 12. | |
| 29 | Considering the upcoming holidays, could the government grant a one-week extension for the proposal submission deadline? | General | N/A | No | |
| 30 | What are the minimum and maximum number of past performance references that need to be submitted? | 36C77624R0117_1 | VOLUME II - PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR | There is no minimum or maximum limit, however, there is a maximum page limit of 3 pages per reference. See Page 81 of the solicitation, Volume II Past Performance Factor which states: Offerors shall submit all Government contracts and/or commercial contracts (prime contracts, task/delivery orders, and/or major subcontracts) in performance at any point during the three [3] years immediately prior to the proposal submission date, which are relevant to the efforts required by this solicitation. | |
| 31 | The PWS states, "The abstraction/review (data collection process) performed for this contract are at present retrospective and consist primarily of electronic record review." Will the government please provide the historical ratio of paper vs. electronic records reviewed? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | All documentation must be included in EHR we have not done paper review in many years. | |
| 32 | For any paper records received, how long are contractors required to retain these records before secure destruction? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | There are no longer any paper records for contractors to review. Any paper documentation must be scanned into the EHR which can then be reviewed electronically by the contractor. | |
| 33 | Will the government provide the amount of measures that are reviewed currently for each record? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | Estimated 25 measures per record. | |
| 34 | Since the incumbent already has a reconsideration database process tool in use, will the government exclude CLIN 0007, Reconsideration database process tool (Base year only) from the total evaluated price so that all Offerors are treated equally? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | No | |
| 35 | Will the government please specify the amount of specifications that will be developed per execution of CLIN X002? | 36C77624R0117_1 | CLIN X002 | The quantity is variable, but the CLIN shall not exceed 10 per contract year. | |
| 36 | Will the government please specify the amount of specifications that will be developed per execution of CLIN X003? | 36C77624R0117_1 | CLIN X003 | The quantity is variable, but the CLIN shall not exceed 2 per contract year. | |
| 37 | Will the government please specify the amount of eQM measures that will be developed per execution of CLIN X022? | 36C77624R0117_1 | CLIN X022 | The quantity is variable, but the CLIN shall not exceed 8 per contract year. | |
| 38 | Will the government please specify the amount of measures that will be developed per execution of CLIN X024? | 36C77624R0117_1 | CLIN X024 | The quantity is variable, but the CLIN shall not exceed 20 per contract year. | |
| 39 | Will the government please specify the amount of measures that will be developed per execution of CLIN X025? | 36C77624R0117_1 | CLIN X025 | The quantity is variable, but the CLIN shall not exceed 10 per contract year. | |
| 40 | Will the government please provide the historical amount of Sepsis records reviewed annually? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | Approximately 22,000 | |
| 41 | Will the government please provide the historical amount of Primary Care (HBPC) records reviewed annually? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | Approximately 11,000 | |
| 42 | Will the government please provide the historical amount of Prevention Indicators (CGPI) records reviewed annually? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 5.2 Task 2 - Data Collection | Approximately 135,000 | |
| 43 | Will the government confirm the 2-month onboarding period will not overlap with the incumbent contract performance? | S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 | 4.1 Performance Period | All vendors including the incumbent will be required to complete the onboarding. Reference PWS Section 6.0 for requirements related to the 2-month onboarding period, including, but not limited to background checks and access to IT systems/network. |
44 If the 2-month onboarding period does overlap with the incumbent contract, will the government exclude CLIN 0001 On-boarding from the total evaluated price so that all Offerors are evaluated equally? S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 4.1 Performance Period No. All vendors including the incumbent will be required to complete the onboarding. Reference PWS Section 6.0 for requirements related to the 2-month onboarding period, including, but not limited to background checks and access to IT systems/network.
| 45 | Will the government please disclose the current regional structure of the EPRP program to ensure Offerors propose a solution that does not disrupt the operations upon transition? | General | EPRP is not a regional program, the requirements in the PWS for regional managers outlines the general responsiblities of the position. Vendors can determine the regional manager structure as they see fit in accordance with the PWS guidelines | |
| 46 | Will the government exclude the Transition Plan from the 25-page limit set for the technical volume? | 36C77624R0117_1 | 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors | No. |
| 47 | For Task 2, on pg 12, are we expected to provide the secure file transfer method and/or data center to store abstracted data? Will VHA expect the contractor to use the existing SFTP? | SOW | Task 2, Pg. 12 | Yes. The vendor will need to develop their own file transfer method and data center to store abstracted data. |
No the contractor will not use the existing SFTP.
48 How does the 30-day initial abstraction timeline align with the 2-month onboarding period mentioned in the period of performance? 36C77624R0117_1 and S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 - page 85 The Offeror’s approach to the development of a transition plan. The transition plan should include specific steps and project management approach to ensure continuity of services. Approach shall include but not limited to: Plan and timeline for onboarding of staff, plan for initial abstraction within 30 calendar days of receipt of first pull list after contract award, plan to receive samples from API, distribute samples to individual abstractors, plan for introduction to liaisons, approach for conducting DAC review and exit, secure file transfer method, meeting schedule for transition.
and 36C77624R0117_1 doc - Page 1
| The period of performance shall include an initial 2-month onboarding period followed by a 12 month base year plus four 12 month option periods. | The deliverable timeline will begin after the onboarding period is complete. | ||
| 49 | Could you please clarify if the initial abstraction is expected to be completed separately within 30 days of the contract award, regardless of whether it is performed by the awarded vendor or the incumbent? | 36C77624R0117_1 |
and S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.25 S02 - Attachment A - PWS EPRP 10.31.24 - page 85 The Offeror’s approach to the development of a transition plan. The transition plan should include specific steps and project management approach to ensure continuity of services. Approach shall include but not limited to: Plan and timeline for onboarding of staff, plan for initial abstraction within 30 calendar days of receipt of first pull list after contract award, plan to receive samples from API, distribute samples to individual abstractors, plan for introduction to liaisons, approach for conducting DAC review and exit, secure file transfer method, meeting schedule for transition.
and 36C77624R0117_1 doc - Page 1 The period of performance shall include an initial 2-month onboarding period followed by a 12 month base year plus four 12 month option periods. See response Question 48.
Q&A 5
| # | RFP Document | RFP Section | RFP Page Number | Question | Response |
| 1 | 36C77624R0117_1 | Volume I Technical | 85 | Please confirm offerors may submit key personnel resumes in an appendix. | Yes they can be submitted as an appendix with Volume I. |
| 2 | 36C77624R0117_1 | E.3 52.212-1 ADDENDUM to FAR 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES | 87 | Would the government remove the requirement: “The Government requires Offerors to propose unit prices and total prices that are whole numbers. NO decimals are to be used; there should be no rounding.”? The request creates an additional burden on contractors rate escalation in out years and requiring both unit prices and total prices to be whole numbers prevents the government from getting the best price. | No, the Government requires Offerors to propose unit prices and total prices that are whole numbers. NO decimals are to be used; there should be no rounding. |
3 36C77624R0117_1 VOLUME II - PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR 85/99 In section E.2 the Government requires past performance to be provided "for each proposed teammate and/or subcontractor". However in section E.15 the Offeror is defined as "proposed prime contractor and all proposed major subcontractor(s). A major subcontractor is defined as one which will be providing more than 20% of the total proposed price or more than 25% of the total labor force".
| Will the Government please confirm that offerors should submit past performance for all teammates and/or subcontractors as defined in section E.2 | Proposed subcontractors shall meet the definition provided in E.15 ADDENDUM TO 52.212-2 EVALUATION—COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES in order to be assessed as outlined in the provisions. | ||||
| 4 | 36C77624R0117_1 | VOLUME II - PAST PERFORMANCE FACTOR | 85 | With regard to Past Performance the Government states "Maximum 3 pages per reference". |
| Would the Government confirm that the 3 page limitation for Past Performance applies to Section 2 - Performance only? | The maximum page limit is 3 pages per reference submitted. | ||||
| 5 | 36C77624R0117_1 | Section E.3 F (6) | 80 | Would the Government confirm offeror's cover letters will not be included in page count of the volumes? | Correct, it will not be included in the page count. |
| 6 | S02_-_Attachment_A_-_PWS_EPRP_10.31.24.docx | Section 4.3 Travel | 7 | SOW states that travel will be priced on a fixed price line item, however, in the RFP instructions price factor it states that travel shall not be priced and shall be cost reimbursable. As per the instructions should offerors propose $0 dollars for travel? | Correct, propose $0 for travel. |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .