ATTACHMENT B File Exchange for Eye Fabrications.docx

VA Denver Logistics Center Eyeglass Fabrication: Data Exchanges October 2024

The Denver Logistics Center (DLC) will manage the authorization and procurement of eyeglass fabrication services for the National Eye Care specialty of the National VA Prosthetic & Sensory Aids Service (PSAS) Program. These services include fabrication of eyeglasses based on prescription for eyesight correction resulting from optical exam and on associated eyeglass frame selection.

The DLC has collaborated with the VA PSAS program to integrate management of these services within the DLC centralized order entry and order fulfillment systems. At inception of the contract, all requests for eyeglass fabrication services are routed to the DLC for authorization and creation of an authorizing purchase order for the services.

The DLC will be responsible for processing requests, creating purchase orders for each approved order/request, conveying to the Contractor the respective purchase as requests are received, and initiating payment actions to the Contractor for orders filled and invoiced appropriately and in a timely manner.

This document and associated documents referenced within describe the specifications for the exchange of commercial transactions between the DLC and the contract supplier of eyeglass fabrication services.

All files listed in this document will be exchanged via file transfer (see ‘Method of Exchanging Transactions’ at the end of this document). The file layout and file transfer method will be the same for all transactional types (routine/priority/emergency). The vendor shall have internal processes to check their secure FTP server for transmissions on a regular basis throughout the day.

Fabrication Authorization Request:

Fabrication Authorization Requests (AR) are generated by the Contractor and submitted to the DLC for each occurrence of a Veteran with proper IVC/CC referral presenting a proper prescription for eyeglasses. The AR will also contain the prescription information. The Fabrication Authorization Request is required and must be processed, and a determination returned to the Contractor (see ‘Purchase Orders’ below) before any fabrication action is performed by the Contractor. If processing of the AR results in an error condition, messages will be returned to the contractor indicating the error. If the AR results in a denial of authorization, a Fabrication Request Acknowledgement indicating denial will be sent. (See ‘FRA’ below.) (See also ‘Prescription Information below.)

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in a AR. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: Eyeglass Fabrication Authorization Request File Naming and Record Object Layout

Fabrication Request Acknowledgement:

Fabrication Request Acknowledgment (FRA) will be sent from the DLC to the Contractor for each AR resulting in a non-authorized or notification status. The FRA could contain a denial in authorization for fabrication services. The Contractor must receive the FRA before any further action or closure of the request is performed by the Contractor.

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in an FRA. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Request Acknowledgement Request File Naming and Record Layout

Purchase Orders:

Purchase Order(s) (PO) is/are generated by the DLC and delivered to the Contractor for each AR which results in a determination of ‘Authorized’, as indicated by providing a Purchase order and Purchase Order Number. The PO conveys to the Contractor the disposition of the AR (authorized). When an AR is returned as ‘Authorized’, the PO will include applicable Purchase Order record segments. The Purchase Order (PO) establishes legal authorization for the Contractor to perform fabrication services as described in the originating AR and up to the dollar amount limit established by contractual pricing.

Purchase Orders are returned from the DLC to the Contractor for each AR resulting in Authorization. A PO will only be issued when the AR is authorized. The Contractor must receive a PO or FRA before any further action or closure of the request is performed.

VA DLC purchase orders are always in the following format:

1 numeric (the fiscal year reduced to one digit, e.g., 2025 reduces to 5) 1 alpha using an E 4 numerics with a 5 as the first digit 1 dash 4 numerics

For example, 5E5009-0325

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in a purchase order. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Purchase Order Request File Naming and Record Layout

Purchase Order Cancels & Acknowledgment:

Purchase orders may be cancelled by the DLC upon notice from the contractor and/or items from a PO may be returned to stock. Cancellation may result from situations such as when order fulfillment cannot be accomplished in a timely manner because items are backordered. Once a PO Cancel notification has been sent to the DLC, then a Cancel Acknowledgement will be sent from DLC to the Contractor.

The document referenced below lists the data elements as they are included in a purchase order cancel – acknowledgement file. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication PO Cancel-Acknowledge Request File Naming and Record Layout

Invoices:

All purchase orders will be invoiced to VA in a batch format; one original invoice file per day will be accepted from the contractor. The batched daily invoice file will include invoices for each fabrication action completed the prior day and closed based on original DLC Purchase Orders previously issued.

The DLC will electronically process the invoice file and send back any encountered errors (see below) for any invoices that cannot be processed. The DLC will look for corrected invoice files daily. (See also ‘Corrected Invoices’ below.)

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in an invoice file. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Invoice Request File Naming and Record Layout

Invoice Processing status:

DLC will send to the contractor an acknowledgment of each invoice processed or rejected along with the rejection reasons after the invoice is processed.

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in an invoice reject file. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Invoice Status Request File Naming and Record Layout

Corrected Invoices:

The contractor shall create corrected invoices that comply with the document referenced below. Invoices can be corrected depending upon the reject reason/error code returned in the invoice processing. DLC will provide guidance on which rejects can be corrected and the appropriate method for correction. Corrected invoice files shall be submitted in a daily batch separate from the regular invoice batch.

Note: Corrected invoices can be rejected for the same reasons that original invoices are rejected if corrections are not made. Those rejects will be returned in the same manner as original invoice rejects.

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in a corrected invoice file. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Invoice Request File Naming and Record Layout

Parts List:

Based on final contract award, the contractor will submit a parts list of contracted frames, lens and all other contracted parts. The parts list naming, pricing, etc., must match the contract award. Authorization Requests received by the DLC will be validated against the parts list for contract compliance.

Item names should match the items on the contract exactly, including case.

Data entered into price fields should not contain commas or dollar signs.

The word “SHELL” causes problems with Department of Defense computer systems. Please abbreviate “SHELL” to “SHLL”.

The word “OPEN” causes problems with Department of Defense computer systems. Please abbreviate “OPEN” to “OPN”.

The following characters are not allowed in feature names:

Semicolon ;

Double quotation “” At sign @ Ampersand & Tilde ~ Grave accent ` The maximum number of characters allowed for a segment must be adhered to NOTE: Extra spaces before or after words make a difference! Make sure you are entering data into the correct piece of the string.

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in the contracted parts list. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Fabrication Parts List Request File Naming and Record Layout

Prescription:

The contractor shall send the prescription information to the DLC to be part of the patient’s VA record.

The document referenced below (to be provided separately) lists the data elements as they are included in the Prescription Record Layout. Explanations and examples of each data element are included.

Reference document: (TO BE DETERMINED) Eyeglass Prescription Request File Naming and Record Layout

Method of Exchanging Transactions:

Purchase orders, invoices, invoice rejects, and PO acknowledgements are exchanged via file transfer. Due to the content of these files, the method of exchange must meet applicable security requirements (see VA Handbook 6500.6). The files are to be transferred using File Transfer Protocol over secure sockets (FTP/SSL) or secure shell over FTP (SFTP). The vendor shall implement a server configured for FTP/SSL or SFTP using industry-standard 128-bit encryption. This server is the file repository for purchase order, invoice, and invoice reject files. The DLC will deliver purchase order files and invoice reject files to the vendor by placing them on the server. Similarly, upon vendor generation of invoice (original/corrected) and PO acknowledgement files, the DLC will retrieve those files from the server.

Explanation of Electronic Funds Transfer

This document has been prepared to clarify how payments will be sent to the eyeglass fabrication Contractor when the VA Financial Service Center (FSC) in Austin, Texas processes an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payment to the contractor’s financial institution.

The VA financial management system which consolidates multiple payments due on the same day, to a single unique contractor, into one consolidated deposit (rather than making an individual deposit for each payment). When an EFT for multiple invoices is issued, an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) is generated and mailed to the contractor address stored in the FSC’s financial software (please contact the FSC help desk to modify your mailing address). In addition, below is a printed example of the electronic addenda records (delimited text file) that the Treasury sends to the financial institution along with the deposit. It is up to the contractor and its financial institution to coordinate how the addenda data is communicated to your accounts receivable department.

Inv. 325238: Pmt 11055 Inv. 325252: Pmt 2174.6 Total Deposit: 13229.6

Your company can call the Austin Finance Service Center (FSC) help desk @ 1-877- 353-9791 for payment questions. In addition, please contact the FSC so your company can obtain access to the VA’s Contractor Inquiry system (VIS) The Contractor Inquiry System (VIS) website enables designated employees in your company to view a purchase order and payment activity. Following is the URL for VIS, which includes a tutorial https://www.vis.fsc.va.gov.

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