Combined Synopsis Solicitation_Nurse Triage Training_FINAL 09.13.2021.pdf

COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

General Information Document Type: Combined Solicitation/Synopsis Solicitation Number: 36C10X21Q0258 Posted Date: 09/14/2021 Original Response Date: 09/17/2021 Current Response Date: 09/17/2021 Product or Service Code: U0006 Set Aside: Small Busines NAICS Code: 611430

Contracting Office Address Department of Veterans Affairs 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick, MD 21703

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, “Streamlined Procedures for Evaluation and Solicitation for Commercial Items,” as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested, and a written solicitation document will not be issued.

This solicitation is a Request for Quotes (RFQ). The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2021-07.

The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 611430, with a small business size standard of $12 Million.

The Veterans Health Administration, Access Office is seeking to purchase Telephone Triage Training for professional Nurses.

All interested companies shall provide quotes for the following Services:

VHA Health Connect Telephone Nurse Triage Training

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1. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

a. Introduction

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Access Office is seeking access to the web-based program TELEPHONE TRIAGE AS PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE: IMPROVE QUALITY & REDUCE RISK The training will be available to VHA’s Registered Nurses (RNs) (not to exceed (NTE) 900 users).

VA Health Connect is part of VA’s transformation of care delivery, providing Veterans even more control of their health, letting them choose how, when, and where to receive their care.

VA’s new Clinical Contact Centers (CCCs) will provide Veterans easier access to 24/7 virtual services using a single toll-free number at each Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level CCC. By December 31, 2021, each VISN will establish – or operate in partnership with other VISNs as part of a Consortium – a fully integrated CCC to deliver care more effectively and conveniently with the following four core services: scheduling and administration; clinical triage, pharmacy, and virtual clinic visits.

VHA is committed to supporting its staff with effective training opportunities to increase competency, work effectiveness, and leadership. By providing access to this training, VA Health Connect (under the Access Office) will reap a benefit of credibility as a responsive partner in Clinical Contact Center Modernization (CCCM) through provision of self-paced professional development offering for the triage RNs. These RNs are considered the cornerstone of telephone triage nursing. Staff in the clinical contact centers have identified a need for a robust nurse specialty training. This clinical training will enhance VA Health Connect triage nurses’ understanding and, appropriate and effective use of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution through development of their critical thinking skills. The anticipated learning outcomes upon completion of the course shall provide the learner with increased knowledge about:

1. The Role of Telephone Triage in Healthcare Delivery Today

2. The Standards Directing Telephone Triage Nursing

3. Common Telephone Triage Pitfalls / The Basic Skill Set for Telephone Triage

4. Organizational Policies and Practices that Impact Care

5. Critical Thinking, Theory, and Decision Making in Uncertain Conditions of Telephone

Triage

6. The Telephone Triage Encounter

7. Appropriate Use of Decision Support Tools

8. Documenting the Telephone Triage Encounter

9. Risk Management

b. Scope

The contractor shall provide online access, not to exceed 900 users, to the entire taped seminar titled: TELEPHONE TRIAGE AS PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE: IMPROVE QUALITY & REDUCE RISK by excluding Continuing Education (CE) credits Online access

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1. TELEPHONE TRIAGE: WHAT IT IS, WHAT IT ISN’T, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO

NURSING PRACTICE

2. STANDARDS DIRECTING THE PRACTICE OF TELEPHONE TRIAGE NURSING

3. CLINICAL PITFALLS AND THE BASIC SKILL SET FOR TELEPHONE TRIAGE

4. BEST PRACTICES TO SUPPORT SAFE PROGRAM DESIGN AND REDUCE RISK

5. CRITICAL THINKING AND NURSING THEORY IN TELEPHONE TRIAGE

6. DECISION MAKING, COMMUNICATION, AND INTERVIEWING

7. PATIENT ASSESSMENT OVER THE PHONE AND CLINICAL PEARLS

8. DOCUMENTATION, USE OF DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS AND RISK

MANAGEMENT

c. Task statement

Task One: Online Access to Entire Taped Web-based Seminar The Contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, and other resources required to deliver online access to the web-based program: TELEPHONE TRIAGE AS PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE: IMPROVE QUALITY & REDUCE RISK, a web-based program by Carol Rutenberg.

The Contractor shall provide support to users that experience trouble with online access to the web-based program.

The Contractor shall track course completion and provide a list of trainee (RN) names to VA Health Care Connect upon request.

The Contract shall grant permission to VHA’s Access Office to downloadable documents (e.g., manual) for internal distribution only.

Deliverables:

A. Online Access to entire web-based program Titled: TELEPHONE TRIAGE AS

PROFESSIONAL NURSING PRACTICE: IMPROVE QUALITY & REDUCE RISK (NTE

900 users)

B. List of User (RN) Names

d. Delivery Schedule Deliverable Quantity Delivery Date Access to web-based program Titled: TELEPHONE

TRIAGE AS

PROFESSIONAL NURSING

PRACTICE: IMPROVE

QUALITY & REDUCE RISK

NTE 900 users (RNs) Due fifteen (15) business days after award

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List of User (RN) Names Ad Hoc (NTE two requests per month)

Due five (5) business days after Government Request

e. Period of Performance. September 30, 2021 - August 31, 2022

f. Type of Contract. Firm Fixed Price (FFP)

g. Place of Performance. Contractor’s facility, virtual delivery

h. Travel. Not Applicable

i. Material Other Direct Costs. Not Applicable

j. Government-Furnished Information, Equipment, and Facilities. Not Applicable

k. Security Requirements. Not Applicable

l. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP)

Requirement Performance Standard

Surveillance Method

Outcome

Delivery of Services

Services shall be provided in accordance with the Task Order (TO) 100% of the time

100% inspection.

The COR will review Services for timeliness according to the established criteria

The Government will not pay for services that do not conform or do not meet performance standards or have not been properly rendered.

The Contractor will be given an opportunity to correct non-conforming services at no cost to the Government if the services are nonconforming or the contract requirement is unacceptable.

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2. PRICE/COST SCHEDULE

ITEM

NUMBER

DESCRIPTION OF

SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT

1.00 LT ___________ ________

Access to web-based training

NTE 900 users (Registered Nurses)

1.00 EA Not

Separately

Priced (NSP)

NSP

List of User Names

GRAND

TOTAL

3. INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERS

In addition to information provided by FAR Clause 52.212-1 Instructions to Offerors – Commercial Items, the following instructions to offerors apply:

(a) All questions from offerors regarding this solicitation shall be submitted via email to Kim Sandi at Kimberly.Sandi@va.gov and Kevin Armillotti at Kevin.Armillotti@va.gov on or before close of business on the date specified on the SF1449, Block 20. It is requested that all questions be combined into one Microsoft Word document.

(b) If you choose to submit a quote, it shall be submitted via email to

Kimberly.Sandi@va.gov and Kevin.Armillotti@va.gov on or before date/time specified on the SF1449, Block 8.

(c) Quoter shall provide a quote that represents a fair and reasonable price to the

Government.

(d) Late submissions shall be treated in accordance with the solicitation provision at FAR 52.212-1(f).

1. Submission of quote to include:

a. All applicable terms and conditions

b. Description of Services

c. Pricing in accordance with Section B.3

d. Socioeconomic status mailto:Kimberly.Sandi@va.gov mailto:Kevin.Armillotti@va.gov mailto:Kimberly.Sandi@va.gov mailto:Kevin.Armillotti@va.gov

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4. EVALUATION APPROACH

The award resulting from this solicitation will be made based on the best overall quote that is determined to be the most beneficial (i.e., best value) to the Government, considering the following equipment specifications, socio-economic considerations, and price.

The Government reserves the right to award with or without exchanges based upon the initial evaluation of proposals. As such, offerors are encouraged to submit their best pricing upfront.

Offerors who receive a rating of unacceptable for any non-price factor will not be considered for award.

The Government will evaluate information based on the procedures authorized in FAR Part 13.106-2 using the following evaluation criteria:

• Technical Capability;

• Socioeconomic considerations; and

• Price.

TECHNICAL CABILITY

The Government will evaluate the proposal for technical capability to determine if the proposed approach meets all criteria specified in the Performance Work Statement and other terms and conditions set forth in this RFQ.

SOCIOECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS

The offeror shall complete the following table to receive credit:

Company VetBiz Status NAICS

The order of preference will be:

a) Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

b) Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB)

1) Substantiating documents such as teaming agreements, mentor protégé agreements, and the like shall be submitted with the offer. To receive credit as an SDVOSB or VOSB, an Offeror shall be registered and verified in the VetBiz.gov Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database at www.vetbiz.gov at the time of award, in accordance with Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 852.215-70, and registered in Central Contractor Registration (CCR) as required by 48 CFR Subpart 4.11, to be eligible to participate in VA VOSB prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities programs to receive new contract awards.

2) Non-Veteran Owned Offerors shall state in their proposals the names of the SDVOSBs and VOSBs with whom they intend to subcontract and provide a brief description of the proposed subcontracts and the approximate dollar values of the proposed subcontracts.

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In addition, the proposed subcontractors shall be registered and verified in the VetBiz.gov VIP database at www.vetbiz.gov in accordance with VAAR 852.215-70 and registered in CCR as required by 48 CFR Subpart 4.11, to be eligible to participate in VA VOSB prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities programs to receive new contract awards.

3) In accordance with VAAR 852.219-72, Evaluation Factors for Participation in the VA Mentor-Protégé Program, the Government will assign credit to large businesses with approved Mentor-Protégé. In order to receive credit under the evaluation factor or sub-factor, the Offeror shall provide with its proposal a copy of a signed letter issued by the VA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization approving the Offeror’s Mentor-Protégé Agreement.

4) To the maximum extent feasible, the contractor and any subcontractors shall comply with VA’s VOSB, SDVOSB, socioeconomic, and other small business goals, including, but not limited to, 38 U.S.C. §8127.

5) The Offeror shall agree, if awarded a contract, to use the SDVOSB or VOSBs proposed as subcontractors or to substitute one or more SDVOSBs or VOSBs for subcontract work of the same or similar value.

6) The VA will assign evaluation credit for an Offeror (prime Contractor) that is a SDVOSB or VOSB. Non-Veteran owned firms that subcontract 7% or more of the contract value to a SDVOSB or 10% or more of the contract value to VOSB will also receive evaluation credit. The factor will be evaluated by the CO.

PRICE

The Government will evaluate price to determine whether it is considered fair and reasonable using price comparison techniques as prescribed in FAR 13.106-3(a).

All quotes shall be subject to evaluation by Government personnel. The Government intends to award without discussions based upon the initial evaluation of quotes. Consequently, contractors are highly encouraged to quote their best non-price and pricing quotes in their initial submissions. However, the Government reserves the right to communicate with any or all contractors submitting a quote if it is determined advantageous to the Government to do so.

If these communications take place, the Government is not obligated to communicate with every contractor (note that FAR Part 15 procedures do not apply; therefore, formal discussions are not applicable). All contractors will be treated fairly and impartially. A contractor may be eliminated from consideration without further communication if its non-price and/or pricing quotes are not among those contractors considered most advantageous to the Government based on a best value determination.

5. APPLICABLE CLAUSES AND PROVISIONS

The full text of FAR and VAAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html and VAAR | Acquisition.GOV.

The following solicitation clauses apply to this acquisition:

1. 52.217-9, “Option to Extend Services” [NOV 1999] (fill in: 10 days) http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html https://www.acquisition.gov/vaar

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2. 852.203-70, “Commercial Advertising”[MAY 2018]

3. 852.215-70, “Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors” [OCT

2019]

4. 852.215-71, “Evaluation Factor Commitments” [OCT 2019]

5. 852.219, “Subcontracting Commitments Monitoring and Compliance” [JUL 2018]

6. 852.242-71, “Administrative Contracting Officer” [OCT 2020]

7. 852.232-72, “Electronic Submission of Payment Requests” [NOV 2018]

8. 852.270-1, “Representatives of Contracting Officers” [JAN 2008]

The following solicitation provisions apply to this acquisition:

1. FAR 52.212-1, “Instructions to Offerors–Commercial Items” [SEP 2021]

2. FAR 52.212-2, “Evaluation – Commercial Items” [OCT 2014]

3. FAR 52.212-3, “Offerors Representations and Certifications–Commercial Items” [FEB

2021]

Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications on-line at http://orca.bpn.gov in accordance with FAR 52.212-3, “Offerors Representations and Certifications–Commercial Items.” If paragraph (j) of the provision is applicable, a written submission is required.

The following contract clauses apply to this acquisition:

• FAR 52.212-4, “Contract Terms and Conditions–Commercial Items” [OCT 2018]

• FAR 52.212-5, “Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or

Executive Orders” [SEP 2021]

The following subparagraphs of FAR 52.212-5 are applicable:

(b)(4, 8, 14, 22, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 44, 51, 55, 58)

This is an open-market combined synopsis/solicitation for services as defined herein. The government intends to award a purchase order as a result of this combined synopsis/solicitation that will include the terms and conditions set forth herein. To facilitate the award process, all quotes must include a statement regarding the terms and conditions herein as follows:

"The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document without modification, deletion, or addition."

OR

"The terms and conditions in the solicitation are acceptable to be included in the award document with the exception, deletion, or addition of the following:"

Quoter shall list exception(s) and rationale for the exception(s).