ATTACHMENT A - Perfomance Work Statement.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Indian Health Service Navajo Area Indian Health Service Gallup Indian Medical Center Performance Work Statement for Non-Personal Pharmacist Services PWS No. GIMC-23-01 April 2023

Table of Contents

· 1.0 General

· 2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

· 3.0 Contractor Quality Control

· 4.0 Delivery and Deliverables

· 5.0 Contractor Performance Requirements — Staffing and Administrative Obligations

· 6.0 Special Instructions

· 7.0 Government Furnished Property, Equipment, and Information

· 8.0 Contractor Furnished Property and Equipment

· 9.0 Performance Requirements Summary

· 10.0 Glossary of Abbreviations and Acronyms

1.0 General

1.1 Introduction

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is an agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The IHS is the principal federal health care provider and health care advocate for Indian people, currently serving approximately 1.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives belonging to more than 557 federally recognized tribes in 34 states.

The Navajo Area Indian Health Service (NAIHS) administers health centers and hospitals providing health care to approximately 201,583 members of the Navajo Nation — the largest Indian tribe in the United States — across a reservation encompassing more than 25,516 square miles in northern Arizona, western New Mexico, and southern Utah. The NAIHS is the primary provider of inpatient, ambulatory care, preventive and community health, and environmental health services for members of the Navajo Nation and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.

The Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) is a 78-bed hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, on the border of the Navajo Reservation. Clinical departments include Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Anesthesia, OB/GYN, General Surgery, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, Radiology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Emergency Medicine. GIMC serves the largest workload in the Indian Health Service, with 310,000 outpatient encounters and 4,400 inpatient admissions annually, and carries the largest staff of all Navajo Area IHS facilities.

The Tohatchi, New Mexico Health Center is located in the Southeastern portion of the Navajo Nation approximately 40 miles North of Gallup, New Mexico. Inpatient needs are met by referral to the Gallup Indian Medical Center. The Tohatchi facility provides 40 hour per week ambulatory care for approximately 8,000 nearby residents. The facility is closed after 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and is closed as well on weekends. The facility is staffed by four physicians, and specialty clinics are operated by consultant staff from the Gallup Indian Medical Center. In addition to pediatrics, internal medicine and family medicine, services provided include pharmacy, physical therapy, x-ray, laboratory, public health nursing, optometry, dental, and health education.

1.2 Objective

This acquisition seeks to obtain non-personal Pharmacist services to support continuous, high-quality pharmaceutical care delivery to the patient population served by GIMC and THC. A nationwide shortage of pharmacists — amplified by the remote and rural nature of IHS service areas, where the national IHS Pharmacy vacancy rate is 10% — necessitates contract support to fill mission-critical positions and maintain safe, uninterrupted patient care.

1.3 Scope of Work

The primary scope of this contract is professional pharmacist staffing services. The Contractor shall recruit, credential, clear, schedule, and provide qualified licensed pharmacists to fill required coverage positions at GIMC and THC on a continuous basis throughout the period of performance. The Contractor's core obligation is organizational — ensuring that fully qualified, credentialed, and cleared pharmacists are available and placed in all required shifts in accordance with the scheduling requirements of Section 2.10.

Pharmacist services are required at GIMC and THC. Assignments to both facilities will be drawn from the same pool of pre-credentialed, pre-cleared pharmacists maintained by the Contractor under this contract. No separate payment or additional pricing is authorized for THC assignments — the all-inclusive fixed hourly rate established at award encompasses coverage at both named facilities within the Gallup Service Unit.

Once placed, Contractor pharmacists shall provide inpatient and outpatient pharmacy services at the assigned facility in accordance with applicable federal law, IHS standards, and the performance requirements set forth in Section 2.0 of this PWS. Clinical services encompass prescription order screening, prescription filling and verification, patient counseling, pharmaceutical supply management, drug information, quality assurance participation, and primary care support under established protocols.

The Government is responsible for defining available shifts and the number of coverage positions required at each facility. The Contractor is responsible for filling those positions with qualified personnel and for all aspects of recruiting, credentialing, scheduling, and continuity of coverage across both facilities.

1.3.1 Staffing Management as the Primary Performance Obligation The Contractor's principal performance obligation under this contract is staffing management — not the direct delivery of clinical pharmacy services. The Government measures the Contractor's success first and foremost by its ability to:

1. Maintain a continuous, fully credentialed pipeline of qualified pharmacists available for placement at GIMC and THC;

2. Achieve and sustain the fill rate standards identified in Section 9.0;

3. Submit complete, accurate coverage rosters within the deadlines established in Section 2.10;

4. Respond to unplanned vacancies within the timeframes established in Section 2.10.4; and

5. Ensure zero provider-days are worked by pharmacists with lapsed or non-compliant credentials.

The clinical tasks described in Section 2.0 define the standards to which placed pharmacists must perform once on-site. Those clinical standards are secondary to — and dependent upon — the Contractor's successful execution of its staffing management obligations. A Contractor that consistently delivers fully qualified, credentialed, and cleared pharmacists on schedule satisfies the primary objective of this contract. Failure to meet staffing obligations cannot be remedied by the clinical performance of individual pharmacists already placed.

1.4 Background

IHS has contracted for pharmacist services to address persistent staffing vacancies driven by the rural nature of NAIHS service areas and the national pharmacist shortage. This requirement continues that effort, providing pre-credentialed contract pharmacists capable of supporting both scheduled coverage and unplanned staffing needs. Both GIMC and THC pharmacy operation must maintain compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and applicable IHS standards at all times.

1.5 Acquisition Approach

This is a performance-based acquisition structured in accordance with FAR Part 37.6 and Executive Order 14402, Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting (April 30, 2026). The contract is organized around measurable outcomes rather than the manner in which the work is performed. The Contractor's principal obligation is organizational — maintaining the staffing infrastructure, recruitment pipeline, credentialing systems, and contingency capacity necessary to achieve and sustain the performance standards identified in Section 9.0 throughout the period of performance.

The Government does not prescribe how the Contractor shall recruit, schedule, or manage its pharmacist workforce. The Contractor has full discretion over its internal processes and staffing methodology, provided the outcomes defined in this PWS are achieved. The Government measures success by results — fill rates, credential compliance rates, roster timeliness, vacancy response times, and the quality of pharmaceutical care delivered — not by the Contractor's methods.

1.6 Type of Contract Contemplated

This is a non-personal services contract with firm-fixed unit prices, consistent with the policy established in Executive Order 14402, Promoting Efficiency, Accountability, and Performance in Federal Contracting (April 30, 2026), and the performance-based acquisition requirements of FAR Subpart 37.1. Fixed-price contracts with performance-based considerations serve as the default and preferred method of procurement for this acquisition.

The hourly rates established at award are firm and fixed and are not subject to adjustment based on the Contractor's actual costs or expenses. Payment under this contract is based solely on the number of hours actually worked by placed pharmacists, as verified by timesheets submitted in accordance with Section 4.0 and accepted by the COR. The Government will not pay for hours not worked, regardless of the reason for the absence.

The all-inclusive fixed hourly rate encompasses all costs of performance including labor, fringe benefits, overhead, general and administrative expenses, recruiting and placement costs, credentialing and pre-placement verification costs, and profit. No separate payment will be made for any of these cost components. Overtime, if required and authorized in advance by the CO in writing, shall be priced separately at the rate established in the contract pricing schedule.

1.7 Period of Performance

The period of performance consists of a base period of 12 months and two option periods of 12 months each, beginning on the date of award, for a total potential period of performance of 36 months if both option periods are exercised. The Government's decision to exercise any option period is at the sole discretion of the CO and is contingent upon the continuing need for services, the availability of funds, and satisfactory Contractor performance. The period of performance structure accommodates short-term assignments (fewer than seven calendar days), long-term assignments, and intermittent support to meet unplanned needs.

1.8 Place of Performance

Services shall be performed at the following facilities within the Gallup Service Unit, Navajo Area Indian Health Service. GIMC is the primary facility where a majority of continuous, scheduled pharmacist coverage is required. THC is the secondary facility where pharmacist coverage will be required on a regular, ongoing basis.

1.9 Applicable Documents

The Contractor shall perform all work in compliance with the following documents:

· Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (TJC): http://www.JAC.org

· Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Standards: http://www.cms.hhs.gov

· Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC): http://www.aaahc.org

· Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996: http://www.cms.gov/HIPAAGenInfo/

· Privacy Act of 1974: http://www.justice.gov/opcl/privacyact1974.htm

· American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Code of Ethics

· American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Statement on Pharmaceutical Care and the Role of Pharmacists in Primary Care

· IHS Service Unit and Health Center Policies, Procedures, and Protocols

· Computer Security Act of 1987

· Federal Code of Conduct: http://www.ihs.gov

· IHS General Directives: http://www.ihs.gov

· IHS Computer Security Directives: http://security.ihs.gov

2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

2.1 Task 1 – Prescription Order Review and Verification

The Contractor shall review all prescribed medication orders in the patient chart or electronic health record prior to administration or dispensing. The Contractor shares joint responsibility for the safety and efficacy of drug therapy with the prescribing physician. This review shall include:

1. Verification of the prescription order for completeness and legal validity;

2. Confirmation that the patient's problem or diagnosis is not potentially drug-induced or drug-related;

3. Validation of the appropriateness of the prescribed drug therapy against the diagnosis and patient database;

4. Review of known previous adverse reactions, sensitivities, or allergies to the prescribed medication;

5. Assessment of pathological conditions that might require modification of drug choice, dosage, or dosage form;

6. Verification of the appropriateness of dose, duration of therapy, dosage form, and quantity; and

7. Review for interactions between drugs, between drugs and food, and between drugs and laboratory tests.

When the Contractor identifies a potential problem, the Contractor shall consult the prescriber for resolution prior to dispensing the medication. The Contractor shall document in the patient record that these services have been performed according to Service Unit procedures.

2.2 Task 2 – Prescription Filling and Dispensing

The Contractor shall fill prescriptions in accordance with federal law, state law, IHS regulations, and the principles of professional pharmacy practice. Requirements include:

1. Use of child-resistant and water-resistant containers;

2. Preparation and labeling of each prescription container using the pharmacy computer system when available; and

3. Completion of intravenous (IV) admixtures and inpatient drug distribution based on patient care needs and in accordance with Service Unit policies and procedures.

Controlled drug dispensing requires positive proof of identification from the patient (e.g., a government-issued ID such as a driver's license or tribal identification card).

2.3 Task 3 – Patient Counseling

The Contractor shall provide counseling to all patients on the safe and effective use of their medications. The Contractor shall counsel the patient or the person responsible for administering the medication. All consultations shall be conducted in a private environment (e.g., a consultation room) unless circumstances prevent it.

Prior to consultation, the Contractor shall use two patient identifiers. Each consultation shall include:

1. Name and purpose of the medication;

2. Dosage schedule and any special instructions (e.g., take on an empty stomach);

3. Length of therapy;

4. Expected outcome;

5. Precautions and common side effects;

6. Storage requirements;

7. Discussion of the patient's disease state, drug therapy, and any potential compliance problems;

8. Review of drug allergy history;

9. Verification or confirmation of the patient's follow-up appointment; and

10. Brief verification of patient understanding of the material presented.

The Contractor shall use supplemental written patient instructions liberally. The Contractor shall document counseling activity using accepted IHS counseling codes in accordance with Service Unit policy and procedures.

2.4 Task 4 – Support Services

2.4.1 Supply Management

The Contractor shall maintain adequate pharmaceutical supplies following hospital procedure. The Contractor shall use only drugs listed on the Service Unit Formulary. The Contractor shall not use pharmaceutical samples. The Contractor shall handle non-formulary drug requests in accordance with the Service Unit Policy and Procedure Manual.

2.4.2 Drug Information

The Contractor shall provide drug information upon request or when the Contractor determines additional information is needed for safe patient care.

2.4.3 Quality Assurance

The Contractor shall participate in all clinic quality assurance activities, with emphasis on the quality of pharmaceutical care and utilization, to enable the facility to meet and maintain compliance with TJC, IHS, CMS, APhA, and applicable ASHP standards.

2.4.4 Primary Care Support

Using established protocols, the Contractor may provide primary care services to selected patients on chronic medications or requiring medication for an acute, limited illness.

2.5 Task 5 – Inpatient Pharmacy Services

As an inpatient pharmacist, the Contractor shall make patient rounds with physicians as a therapeutic advisor, fill unit-dose medication systems, and prepare IV admixtures and solutions, including those for patients on hyperalimentation. The Contractor shall maintain the poison antidote drug cart and crash carts with current information on use, dosage, and precautions. The Contractor shall check emergency drugs at nursing stations, emergency rooms, and field clinics on a daily basis.

2.6 Task 6 – Training and Competency

The Contractor shall participate in the following training and competency activities:

1. Annual safety and infection control; and

2. Other mandatory training as assigned by the facility.

2.7 Task 7 – Administrative and Documentation Requirements

The Contractor shall:

1. Wear the Government-issued contractor identification badge at all times while on duty (see Section 7.5);

2. Manage all patient information in accordance with HIPAA, the Privacy Act, the Computer Security Act, and all applicable NAIHS policies and protocols;

3. Adapt to and use IHS information systems within four hours following a one-hour orientation;

4. Report to the CO any information or circumstance that may constitute a violation of applicable law, statute, regulation, policy, or procedure within the same business day; and

5. Abide by the facility's uniform code, assigned shift hours, charting modalities, care delivery standards, and all other facility rules and regulations.

2.8 Task 8 – Health Information Management and Medical Record Completion

2.8.1 Timely Record Completion

The Contractor shall ensure that all pharmacists performing services under this contract complete all required patient medical records, chart entries, and pharmacy documentation in accordance with GIMC and THC Health Information Management (HIM) department requirements and applicable IHS, TJC, and CMS standards. All required documentation shall be completed prior to the conclusion of each pharmacist's assigned shift or, where documentation requirements extend beyond a single shift, within the timeframe established by the applicable facility's HIM policy.

No pharmacist performing services under this contract shall depart the facility at the conclusion of an assignment — whether at the end of a shift, the end of a scheduling period, or upon early departure for any reason — with incomplete patient records, chart entries, or pharmacy documentation outstanding.

2.8.2 Contractor Organizational Responsibility

The Contractor bears organizational responsibility for ensuring record completion compliance across all pharmacists placed under this contract. The Contractor shall incorporate medical record completion requirements into its Quality Control Plan under Section 3.0 and shall actively monitor and enforce compliance among its placed pharmacists as part of its internal quality control program.

2.8.3 Consequences of Incomplete Records

Incomplete medical records and chart entries result in billing shortfalls to GIMC and THC through Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. Incomplete records attributable to Contractor pharmacists are a performance deficiency subject to the remedies identified in the Performance Requirements Summary at Section 9.0.

2.9 Task 9 – Personnel Closeout and Departure Procedures

2.9.1 General

The Contractor shall ensure that every pharmacist performing services under this contract completes all required closeout procedures prior to departing the facility at the conclusion of any assignment — whether at the end of a scheduled period of performance, upon voluntary departure, or upon removal. No pharmacist shall be considered fully separated from the facility until all closeout requirements have been satisfied and a signed facility clearance has been obtained in accordance with Section 2.9.2.

2.9.2 Required Closeout Actions

Prior to departure from the facility, each pharmacist shall complete the following closeout actions and obtain written sign-off from each responsible program office:

1. Health Information Management (HIM) — All patient medical records, chart entries, and pharmacy documentation shall be completed and submitted in accordance with Section 2.8. The HIM department shall confirm in writing that no incomplete records remain outstanding for the departing pharmacist;

2. Information Technology (IT) — All Government-issued IT access credentials, system accounts, and electronic access shall be deactivated. The IT department shall confirm in writing that all system access has been terminated;

3. Security — PIV Card Surrender — The pharmacist shall surrender the Government-issued Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card and any other Government-issued identification badges to the appropriate security or facility management office. The receiving office shall confirm surrender in writing;

4. Pharmacy – Return of any access cards (GSL badge), removal of access including but not limited to (scriptpro, Q-flow, GSL, Pyxis, Alarm system). Return of pharmacy key if applicable.

5. Timesheets — All timesheets for hours worked under this contract shall be completed, certified, and submitted to the COR prior to departure. No timesheet shall remain outstanding at the time of departure;

6. Acquisitions/Contracting — The Contractor's point of contact shall notify the CO in writing that the pharmacist has departed and that all contractual closeout obligations have been initiated; and

7. Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) — The COR shall serve as the final clearance authority, confirming in writing that all program office sign-offs have been received and that the pharmacist's departure is administratively complete.

2.9.3 Closeout Documentation

The Contractor shall maintain a completed closeout checklist for each departing pharmacist and shall submit the completed checklist, with all required sign-offs, to the CO within two business days of the pharmacist's departure date. The closeout checklist shall identify the pharmacist by name, the dates of service performed, and the date and signature of each program office clearance.

2.9.4 Contractor Organizational Responsibility

The Contractor bears full organizational responsibility for ensuring that every departing pharmacist completes all closeout procedures in accordance with this section. The Contractor shall not allow a pharmacist to depart the facility without initiating the closeout process. Failure to complete closeout procedures, including the surrender of PIV cards, completion of all timesheets, and clearance from all required program offices, constitutes a performance deficiency subject to the remedies identified in the Performance Requirements Summary at Section 9.0.

2.10 Shift Coverage and Scheduling

2.10.1 Available Shift Windows

The facility operates pharmacy coverage across the following 8-hour shift windows:

Gallup Indian Medical Center:

Tohatchi Health Center:

2.10.2 Government Scheduling Responsibility

The Government will provide the Contractor with a schedule of available shifts no fewer than 15 calendar days prior to the first date of coverage in each scheduling period. The shift schedule identifies the dates, shift windows, and number of pharmacy coverage positions required. The Government's scheduling obligation is limited to providing this shift availability notice within the 15-day window.

2.10.3 Contractor Scheduling Responsibility

Upon receipt of the Government's shift availability notice, the Contractor shall determine how to fulfill all required coverage positions. The Contractor bears full responsibility for:

1. Identifying, assigning, and confirming fully credentialed and cleared pharmacists for each required shift;

2. Submitting a completed coverage roster to the CO no fewer than 60 calendar days prior to the first date of the applicable coverage period, identifying by date and shift window which pharmacist will provide coverage for each position;

3. Resolving all internal scheduling conflicts, leave, absences, and personnel changes without Government involvement prior to roster submission;

4. Updating the coverage roster and notifying the CO in writing no fewer than 14 calendar days in advance of any change to a previously submitted roster entry; and

5. Providing a replacement for any roster change within the same notification window, such that no shift position is left unfilled at the time of notification.

The Government will not designate, select, or approve individual pharmacists for specific shifts. The Contractor has full discretion over personnel assignment, provided all assigned personnel have satisfied all pre-placement verification requirements of Section 5.3 and have completed all required background checks and credentialing prior to the first date of service.

2.10.4 Unplanned Vacancies

When an unplanned vacancy arises after roster submission — due to resignation, illness, removal, or other cause — the Contractor shall notify the CO in writing within four hours of becoming aware of the vacancy and shall provide a confirmed replacement within 72 hours. The Contractor shall not leave a shift position unfilled. Shifts left uncovered without a confirmed replacement and timely notification are subject to the remedies identified in the Performance Requirements Summary at Section 9.0.

3.0 Contractor Quality Control

3.1 Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall develop, implement, and maintain a Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure services performed under this contract meet the standards set forth in this PWS. The Contractor shall submit the QCP to the CO within 15 calendar days of contract award. The Contractor shall update the QCP whenever a material change in operations, staffing methodology, or credentialing processes occurs, and shall submit the updated QCP to the CO within 10 calendar days of the change.

3.2 Minimum QCP Requirements

At a minimum, the QCP shall address:

1. The Contractor's internal process for monitoring license and certification currency for all personnel performing under this contract, including the frequency of checks and the system used to track expiration dates;

2. The Contractor's internal process for identifying and responding to a credential lapse, license restriction, or adverse licensure action — including the timeline for notifying the CO and replacing the affected provider;

3. The Contractor's process for verifying that all personnel satisfy the individual pre-placement verification requirements of Section 5.3 prior to assignment and throughout the period of performance;

4. The Contractor's approach to monitoring fill rates and identifying coverage gaps before they result in missed shifts;

5. The Contractor's process for monitoring medical record and chart completion compliance among placed pharmacists, including how outstanding incomplete records are identified, tracked, and resolved in coordination with the GIMC and THC HIM departments;

6. The Contractor's internal complaint and corrective action process, including how performance deficiencies are identified, documented, and resolved; and

7. The name and contact information of the Contractor's designated quality control manager, who shall serve as the primary point of contact for all quality-related matters under this contract.

3.3 Government Rights

The Government reserves the right to inspect or test any services tendered for acceptance under this contract, in accordance with FAR 52.212-4(b). The existence of the Contractor's QCP does not limit the Government's right to conduct its own surveillance of contract performance. The Government will maintain a separate Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) for this purpose. The Government also reserves the right to remove from the facility any Contractor employee who, in the judgment of a licensed healthcare practitioner, demonstrates impaired judgment or is otherwise unfit for duty.

4.0 Delivery and Deliverables

Estimated Annual Hours: 14,560 hours (Pharmacist services) Notice to Contractors: All information and data gathered or obtained in connection with performance of this contract are the property of the Government and shall be protected from unauthorized release. The CO is the sole authorized official to release any data, draft deliverables, final deliverables, or other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. Press releases, marketing materials, or other electronic or printed documentation related to this contract shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO.

5.0 Contractor Performance Requirements — Staffing and Administrative Obligations

5.1 Health Information Management Compliance

The Contractor bears organizational responsibility for ensuring that all pharmacists placed under this contract complete required patient medical records, chart entries, and pharmacy documentation in full and on time, in accordance with Section 2.8 and GIMC and THC HIM department requirements. The Contractor shall:

1. Communicate GIMC's and THC's medical record completion requirements to all pharmacists prior to their first shift at the applicable facility;

2. Incorporate HIM compliance monitoring into its Quality Control Plan under Section 3.0, including a process for tracking outstanding incomplete records attributable to its placed pharmacists;

3. Take immediate corrective action when a pharmacist departs the facility with incomplete records outstanding, including coordinating with the applicable facility's HIM department to facilitate record completion and notifying the CO of the deficiency; and

4. Treat repeated incomplete record deficiencies by the same pharmacist as grounds for removal and replacement of that pharmacist under Section 2.10.4.

Incomplete patient records attributable to Contractor pharmacists that result in Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance billing shortfalls constitute a performance deficiency subject to the remedies identified in the Performance Requirements Summary at Section 9.0.

5.2 Personnel Closeout Organizational Responsibility

The Contractor bears full organizational responsibility for ensuring that every pharmacist placed under this contract completes all required closeout procedures in accordance with Section 2.9 prior to departing the facility. The Contractor shall:

1. Brief all pharmacists on GIMC's and THC's closeout requirements prior to their first shift, including PIV card surrender, HIM record completion, IT access deactivation, timesheet submission, and program office clearance requirements;

2. Maintain a closeout checklist for each pharmacist and actively track completion of all required closeout actions as each assignment concludes;

3. Submit the completed closeout checklist with all required program office sign-offs to the CO within two business days of each pharmacist's departure date;

4. Notify the CO immediately if a pharmacist departs the facility without completing required closeout procedures, including PIV card surrender; and

5. Coordinate with the CO, COR, and applicable program offices to remediate any incomplete closeout actions as quickly as practicable following an unauthorized departure.

Failure to ensure complete and timely personnel closeout constitutes a performance deficiency subject to the remedies identified in the Performance Requirements Summary at Section 9.0.

5.3 Individual Pharmacist Pre-Placement Verification Requirements

5.3.1 General

The Contractor's organizational capability to recruit and credential pharmacists is addressed in the solicitation. Once the contract is awarded, the Contractor bears full performance responsibility for ensuring that every individual pharmacist placed under this contract satisfies all pre-placement verification requirements before being listed on a coverage roster or working a single shift at either GIMC or THC. A pharmacist who has not satisfied all requirements of this section shall not be included on any coverage roster submitted under Section 2.10.3 and shall not perform services under this contract.

5.3.2 Licensure and Credentialing Requirements

Each pharmacist placed under this contract shall possess and maintain throughout the period of performance:

1. A current, valid, unrestricted pharmacy license in a state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States;

2. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification at a minimum; Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are preferred;

3. A fitness for duty certificate issued by a licensed physician confirming the ability to perform the proposed duties without significant risk to personal health or the health and safety of others; and

4. Documentation of the following immunizations and health requirements:

· Immunity to Rubella, Mumps, and Measles;

· Immunity to Hepatitis A and B, or a signed waiver;

· History of chickenpox disease or positive titer;

· Tetanus Diphtheria (Td) immunization within the last five years; and

· Documentation of a TB Mantoux skin test (PPD) within the past 12 months, with documentation of follow-up for any positive result.

5.3.3 Medical Staff Credentialing

Each pharmacist placed under this contract shall complete the applicable facility's medical staff credentialing process before performing services. The Contractor shall initiate the credentialing process for each pharmacist sufficiently in advance of the pharmacist's scheduled first shift to allow for full credentialing completion within the timeframes established by GIMC and THC. The Contractor shall account for credentialing processing timelines in its coverage roster submissions and ramp-up planning under Sections 2.10.3 and the QCP.

A pharmacist whose credentialing application is pending, incomplete, or denied shall not be listed on a coverage roster as a confirmed placement. The Contractor shall immediately notify the CO if a pharmacist's credentialing is denied or withdrawn at any point during the period of performance and shall provide a replacement in accordance with Section 2.10.4.

5.3.4 HSPD-12 Security Clearance

Each pharmacist placed under this contract shall complete the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) security clearance process, including fingerprinting and a background investigation, before performing services at GIMC or THC. The Contractor shall:

1. Initiate the HSPD-12 process for each pharmacist sufficiently in advance of the pharmacist's scheduled first shift to allow for clearance completion;

2. Account for HSPD-12 processing timelines — which may require 14 to 30 calendar days for a complete and acceptable package — in all coverage roster submissions and ramp-up planning;

3. Notify the CO immediately if a pharmacist receives an unfavorable adjudication or if information arises that may affect the outcome of a pending investigation; and

4. Remove from performance any pharmacist who receives an unfavorable adjudication and provide a replacement in accordance with Section 2.10.4.

At a minimum, a pharmacist may begin work upon receipt of a favorable FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check) result, provided all other pre-placement requirements of this section have been satisfied and a complete background investigation package has been submitted.

5.3.5 Additional Administrative Requirements

Each pharmacist placed under this contract shall also:

1. Present an original current pharmacy license to the applicable facility's Pharmacy Department upon reporting for orientation or the first shift, whichever occurs first;

2. Complete all facility-specific orientation and mandatory training required by GIMC or THC before providing independent patient care services;

3. Possess basic knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to use a computer and successfully operate IHS information technology systems within four hours of a one-hour orientation; and

4. Read, write, speak, and understand English sufficiently to communicate effectively with patients and other healthcare workers, and demonstrate respect for American Indian and Alaska Native culture.

5.3.6 Contractor Responsibility for Pre-Placement Timelines

The Contractor shall treat all pre-placement verification requirements — licensure, credentialing, HSPD-12 clearance, health requirements, and orientation — as internal project management obligations. The Contractor shall build processing timelines for each requirement into its coverage roster planning and ramp-up schedule. Delays in completing pre-placement verification that result in unfilled shifts are the Contractor's responsibility and are subject to the deduction and corrective action provisions of Section 9.0.

6.0 Special Instructions

6.1 Continuity of Services

The Contractor shall maintain uninterrupted pharmacy coverage throughout the period of performance at both GIMC and THC. The Contractor's obligation to ensure continuity extends beyond scheduled shift coverage to include maintaining a sufficient pipeline of pre-credentialed, pre-cleared pharmacists to absorb unplanned vacancies, resignations, and other disruptions without interruption to patient care. The detailed scheduling and vacancy response requirements governing continuity are set forth in Section 2.10.

6.2 Point of Contact

The Contractor shall designate a point of contact with full authority to act on all matters relating to daily contract operations. This individual shall be available by telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including federal holidays. The Contractor shall designate this individual in writing to the CO before the contract start date and shall identify an alternate point of contact and the circumstances under which the alternate serves as primary.

6.3 Standards of Care and Clinical Governance

All pharmacists performing services under this contract shall deliver pharmaceutical care in strict accordance with the standards, protocols, policies, and procedures established by GIMC, NAIHS, and IHS — regardless of prior practice habits, employer preferences, or clinical conventions from other facilities or practice settings. Personal clinical preferences of individual pharmacists do not constitute an acceptable basis for departing from established facility standards.

The following hierarchy of clinical authority governs all pharmacy services delivered under this contract:

1. Federal law, IHS regulations, and applicable accreditation standards (TJC, CMS, AAAHC);

2. NAIHS Area-wide directives and pharmacy standards of practice;

3. GIMC and THC Service Unit policies, procedures, and protocols, as administered by the Chief of Pharmacy; and

4. GIMC and THC department-level operating procedures and standing orders.

The Chief of Pharmacy, or designee, is the clinical authority responsible for establishing and communicating facility-specific pharmacy standards, protocols, and operating procedures at GIMC and THC. Placed pharmacists shall comply with all directions issued by the Chief of Pharmacy that pertain to clinical standards, patient safety, infection control, formulary management, and facility operating procedures. This clinical governance relationship does not constitute supervision or control of the Contractor's workforce for purposes of FAR 37.101 or the personal services prohibition at FAR 37.201. The Contractor retains full responsibility for the staffing management obligations established in this PWS, and the Chief of Pharmacy's clinical authority is limited to the standards under which pharmacy services are delivered — not to the scheduling, assignment, or management of individual Contractor personnel.

7.0 Government Furnished Property, Equipment, and Information

7.1 Information

The Government will make available to the Contractor all Government-unique information necessary for performance. The CO will serve as the point of contact for identifying required information.

7.2 Joint-Use Property

Except as specified in Sections 7.3 and 8.0, the Government will provide for joint use all necessary equipment, supplies, and clinic space required to perform services under this contract.

7.3 Government Vehicles

If required by the position, vehicle authorization shall be in accordance with IHS Chapter 12, Section 13, Motor Vehicle Management, and the GSA Motor Vehicle Management Handbook.

7.4 Personal Protective Equipment

The Government will furnish appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) other than items specified in Section 8.0. The Government is responsible for repair, cleaning, and inventory of furnished PPE. PPE does not include uniforms or laboratory coats.

7.5 Identification Badges

The Government will provide facility-specific contractor identification badges. A $10.00 fee will be charged for each lost or destroyed badge.

7.6 Training

The Government will provide facility-specific orientation and training necessary for the Contractor to perform required duties (e.g., NAIHS information technology systems, facility-wide orientations, and department operating procedures). The Government will provide training only when the subject matter is necessary to improve or enhance the quality of pharmacy services, or when mandated by a regulatory agency, NAIHS, the Service Unit, or the facility. The Government is not obligated to provide training for continuing education, career development, or individual development purposes.

8.0 Contractor Furnished Property and Equipment

8.1 Uniforms and Laboratory Coats

The Contractor shall provide all uniforms and laboratory coats, which shall conform to local pharmacy requirements.

8.2 Personal Medical Instruments

The Contractor shall provide personal medical instruments the Contractor elects to use in patient care (e.g., stethoscope, scissors). The Contractor shall not use unsafe equipment or supplies at any time. All Contractor-furnished equipment and supplies are subject to inspection and must be approved by the CO prior to use. The Government reserves the right to prohibit use of any Contractor-furnished material, supplies, or equipment.

9.0 Performance Requirements Summary

The following Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) identifies each performance requirement, the applicable PWS section, the performance standard, the acceptable quality level (AQL), the method of surveillance, and applicable incentives or remedies. The Government will use the PRS in conjunction with the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to assess Contractor performance.