DRAFT RFQ 36C26121Q0837_1.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

VA Pacific Island Health Care System:

Hawaiian Islands 459 Patterson Road

Honolulu HI 96819-1522 February 22, 2021

1. SCOPE

1.1 VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) Prosthetic Service has an ongoing requirement for the pickup, delivery, storage and routine service/refurbishment of Durable Medical Equipment (DME) to veteran patients served VAPIHCS’ clinics listed in this document.

The total number of DME delivered to Veterans is subject to change throughout the lifespan of this contract. Prior to the award, the Contractor must have Joint Commission of Health Care Organizations (Joint Commission) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accreditation or equivalent. Written documentation must be provided to support this requirement.

1.2 The Government intends to award a minimum of one (1) firm fixed-priced Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract (IDIQ) contract pursuant to this solicitation. The awarded contract will be for a period of Five Years consisting of five (5), one-year ordering periods.

Contractors desiring to submit an offer on this IDIQ must offer services to the catchment area described in paragraph 3.4.

1.3 This contract is for non-personal services. It does not create employment rights with the U.S.

Government whether actual, inherent, or implied. By agreeing to perform the services described in these specifications, the Contractor acknowledges that he/she is not, and shall not become, an employee of the U.S. Government. The Contractor further agrees that he/she shall not bring any cause of action in any forum claiming that he/she has become an employee of the U.S.

Government.

This contract is a “non-personal services contract” as defined in FAR 37.101. It is, therefore, understood and agreed that the Contractor and/or the Contractor’s employees or subcontractor:

a. Shall perform the services specified herein as Independent Contractors, not as employees of the government.

b. Shall manage and administer the work required and bear sole responsibility for complying with all technical, schedule, or financial requirements or constraints attendant to the performance of this contract.

c. Shall be free from supervision or control by any government employee with respect to the manner or method of performance of the services specified; but

d. Shall, pursuant to the government’s right and obligation to inspect, accept, or reject the work, comply with such general direction of the Contracting Officer, or the duly authorized representative of the Contracting Officer as is necessary to ensure accomplishment of the contract objectives.

DRAFT

THIS IS A DRAFT DO NOT SUBMIT QUOTES

2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Contractor shall provide all labor, parts, equipment, transportation, fuel, and supervision necessary to provide storage, delivery set up, in-house instruction, and/or pick-up of durable medical equipment for VA Veterans of each VA Pacific Island Facility, in accordance with the terms, conditions, special provisions, and schedule contained herein.

2.2 The vendor shall have (or put in place within one calendar month) an electronic computer system that shows all VA required forms and documentation. This system shall be accessible to all VA personnel, as determined by the VA COR, at no cost to the Government, with access codes provided by the Contractor. The system shall be secure and meet all applicable VA IT rules and regulations and HIPPA, privacy rules and regulations. This system does not preclude VA patient information being provided on a requested basis through PKI encrypted e-mail and/or by secure fax machine.

2.3 This is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, quantities shown in Appendix A are estimates only. VA makes no commitment concerning the minimum and/or maximum quantity of deliverables and/or services required herein; however, will comply with the minimum guarantee as specified in the contract. The amount of services required under the terms of an awarded contract shall be determined solely by the VA.

2.4 This contract requires Joint Commission accreditation and other regulatory requirements regarding worker competency, the Contractor must perform the required work in accordance with Joint Commission (JC) and CMS standards. The Contractor must demonstrate that it has met and/or exceeds the Joint Commission and CMS requirements; and provide documented evidence that it meets Joint Commission requirements for delivery, set up, repair, pick-up, and storage of durable medical equipment.

2.5 VA Pacific Islands Health Care System Prosthetic Service will purchase DME devices that are part of the National Prosthetic Clinical Management Program (PCMP) contracts and/or Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contracts, including Hospital Beds, Scooters, Standard, Rehab, and Power Wheelchairs – prior to any possible equipment purchases from the Contractor. DME shall include but not be limited to those in Appendix B.

3. AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

3.1. The contractor will provide services for VAPIHCS Veterans at sites listed in paragraph 3.4. The service area includes the catchment areas, regardless of where the patient resides. Contractors shall have a facility or resources physically located in the geographic area in which they shall provide service.

3.2 All services shall be performed in the Veteran's place of residence, skilled nursing facility, rehabilitation facility, or nursing home housing the veteran.

3.3 Contractors shall have storage facilities physically located in the geographic area of the VAPIHCS in which they shall provide service.

3.4 VA Pacific Islands Health Care System Facilities:

Spark Matsunaga (ACC) 459 Patterson Rd Honolulu HI 96818

Kona CBOC 35-377 Hualalai Road Kailua-Kona HI 96740

Hilo CBOC 45 Mohouli Street Hilo HI 96720

Kauai CBOC 4485 Pahe’e Street Suite 150 Lihue HI 96766-2018

Maui CBOC 203 Ho’ohana Street Suite 303 Kahului HI 96732-2476

Molokai CBOC 280 Home Olu Place Kaunakakai HI 96748-0408

4. PRICING

4.1 The Offeror shall price each CLIN inclusive of all transportation, fuel cost, labor, storage, training instruction, supervision and any other required element to carry out the statement of work. The Offeror shall ensure that its price is inclusive of mileage/fuel within 50 miles as defined in paragraph 4.3. There are no ranges, sections, separations, etc. of locations as it relates to mileage/fuel/tolls charges and/or pricing.

4.2 The Offeror Contractor shall provide to the VA a quote using the Medicare allowable rates for patients in the facilities in paragraph 3.4.

4.3 The VAPIHCS is responsible for payment of mileage for only one-way in excess of 50 miles from the VAPIHCS facility or the warehouse. Mileage reimbursement will be calculated from the site (VAPIHCS facility or warehouse) that is the shorter distance. No round-trip mileage will be reimbursed. The one- way charges apply to the distance where the request is complete; e.g.

for a delivery, the mileage to the patient’s home but not the return trip; and for pick-up, the distance from the patient’s home to the vendor location and not the initial drive to get to the patient’s home. The Mileage will be calculated using the distances provided by MapQuest or equivalent software. The reimbursement rate will be the GSA contract rate for Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage-www.gsa.gov. When multiple jobs are consolidated, Mapquest route sheets with waypoints must be submitted for mileage reimbursements.

5. DISTRIBUTION CENTER (DME)

5.1 A well-organized and managed distribution center will provide such services as transportation, cross-docking, order-fulfillment, labeling and packaging along with whatever services are necessary to complete the order cycle, including order processing, order preparation, shipping, receiving, transportation, returned goods processing and performance measurement. Veterans need the capability to pick up items at the distribution center. This could include ADA compliant and professional storefront for Veterans to be able to pick up DME items and/or curbside pickup. The offeror should propose a solution for Veteran pickup at the Distribution Center.

5.2 The Contractor will provide at no additional cost to the Government a minimum of four (4) deliveries and four (4) pickups to and from each CBOC each month. These deliveries to the CBOCs will be used primarily to provide supplies needed for clinics that are scheduled monthly. The Contractor will deliver multiple DME items to the CBOC for possible same day issuance to the Veteran. The VAPIHCS Prosthetics Service will provide a list of items needed at least 48 hours prior to the date of delivery. After clinic completion, the Contractor will be responsible for picking up unissued items within 24 hours of clinic completion and restocking unused items at no cost to the Government.

5.3 The Contractor will provide climate-controlled distribution centers on Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui. The Distribution Center will be open normal business hours, Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm.

5.4 Contractor shall provide a clean, pest/rodent free, secure, contained area, with adequate space, for the storage of government owned DME and supplies covered under this contract. The storage area shall be climate controlled throughout the year, and proper temperature and humidity shall be maintained. A temperature range of between 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 76 degrees Fahrenheit shall be always be maintained and documented daily. Humidity should be kept between 20-60%. Storage units or storage containers (such as PODS) will not be an acceptable means of storing government owned equipment. DME shall be stored on a rack 12” off the floor and 18” from the ceiling. Storage area(s) must conform to all local fire codes. The contractor must be equipped to receive deliveries of DME to their storage location during normal business hours via regular trucking companies. The storage facility shall have a monitored burglar alarm, fire alarm and fire sprinkler system throughout in accordance with all local regulations (including, but not limited to OSHA requirements). In addition, the storage area shall meet all Territory requirements for insurance and liability. There shall be no charge for storage of VA equipment, but storage costs are expected to be built into the cost of the contract.

5.5 Six clearly delineated storage areas will be designated:

a. Staging Area, - all VA owned equipment going to the contractor's facility shall be unloaded from the delivery truck into the (IN) staging area and sorted. New items shall be unpackaged if necessary, inspected for damage, and placed into the appropriate action area. All other recovered used equipment shall be placed in the Pending Assessment area.

b. Pending Assessment Area - The equipment shall be inspected and evaluated to determine whether the equipment is worthy of reissue.

c. Repair Area -Equipment that has been cleaned, disinfected, but needs repair.

d. Junk/Scrap Area - All equipment which cannot be re-issued, based on excessive repair costs or being obsolete shall be kept in this area. During periodic site visits, the COR shall assess the equipment in this area to determine final disposition. The contractor will dispose of scrap/junk at no cost to the government.

e. Ready for Issue Area - All equipment in this area will be cleaned, disinfected, in excellent working condition and ready for issue to the Veteran

f. Staging (OUT) area - All equipment ready for delivery to the Veteran shall be placed in this area pending loading.

5.6 Contractor-provided storage will be separate from other areas of storage, which may be used by the Contractor. Contractor shall store all VA owned items in an orderly arrangement to allow for ready access to any item. Items that have been cleaned, refurbished and repaired should be identified as such and stored separately from those recently recovered awaiting necessary cleaning, etc. Contractor shall separate clean and dirty equipment, using The Joint Commission (TJC) approved divider and protective covering. Contractor shall, at no time intermingle VA durable medical equipment and/or supplies with equipment and/or supplies from non-VA activities.

5.7 Contractor shall have written policies and procedures relating to cleaning and storage of all recovered/dirty/reusable equipment that meet TJC standards. All equipment shall be labeled or tagged and dated to document such procedures.

5.8 Prior to being placed in the clean equipment storage area, all recovered equipment shall be cleaned/disinfected using an appropriate cleaning solution according to manufacturer’s instructions; checked for proper operation, safety, serviceability; and covered with clear plastic for protection. A device considered ready for re-issuance will also include a copy of the manufacturer’s specification sheet based on the individual serial number and a list of the necessary repairs needed to make the device serviceable. The current Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines will be followed including cleaning, disinfecting, sanitizing shall be by steam cleaning and/or other industry approved methods to include hospital grade disinfectants This equipment shall be tagged and stored awaiting instruction from the COR. Government property shall be identified and tagged with consecutively numbered permanent stickers.

5.9 The Contractor shall store all Durable Medical Equipment supplied by the VAPIHCS if the equipment is usable and of value to the VA during the contract period. The VAPIHCS COR makes the determination regarding an item’s usefulness. NOTE: Any equipment disposed of, e.g. any equipment deemed worn or beyond repair, will be listed, serialized and documented to the VAPIHCS COR. This list will be approved by the VAPIHCS COR before disposal. There will not be a separate charge for disposal but rather this should be built into the cost of the contract.

5.10 Estimates of monthly items and quantities that will require storage in the Contractor’s warehouse are detailed in Appendix B.

5.11 The storage facility shall be equipped with adequate electrical outlets for testing of electrical equipment. Devices requiring battery electrical power will be placed on a routine trickle charge to maintain battery life.

5.12 The VAPIHCS Prosthetics COR may make scheduled and/or unscheduled visits to the Contractor’s facility to inspect the premises and VA equipment stored within and the vehicles used by the company to ensure they are in working order. All equipment, parts, and supplies will be arranged in such a manner as to afford immediate inspection of all appliances and supplies for inventory reconciliation.

5.13 Any federal, state or local citations of the location should be reported to the Prosthetics COR within 2 business days of the citation.

5.14 The Contractor will have sufficient and appropriate staff and on-site equipment to handle/maneuver/off-load inventory deliveries or storage at the Contractor location without delay. No extra charges to the VA are allowed for any special types of equipment that the Contractor may need to store/maneuver/off-load equipment at the Contractor location.

5.15 When there is a change in Contractors, it is the responsibility of the new Contractor to pick up all government-owned equipment and supplies from the previous Contractor. These shall be stored at the new Contractor’s facility. The COR will coordinate the change in storage locations with the previous Contractor and the new Contractor.

6.0 DRIVER/TECHNICIAN REQUIREMENTS

6.1The Contractor shall ensure that its employees performing services under the term and conditions of this contract will follow all applicable state and federal commercial motor vehicle requirements. All health testing required by state and federal law will be completed, kept up-to-date, and documented in the employee’s file. This information must be provided at the request of the Prosthetics COR or Contracting Officer.

6.2 The Contractor shall ensure that its employees be industry knowledgeable in the following elements:

a. Set up and operation of inventoried Durable Medical Equipment (DME) and DME drop shipped to Contractor’s facility.

b. Ability to give clear and concise instructions on maintenance and operation of DME and supplies to Veterans and/or caregivers/concerned persons.

6.3 Contractor employees must be certified to work on any manufacturer’s DME prior to performing work. A non-exclusive list of manufacturers includes Invacare, Motion Concepts, Motion Composite, Sunrise Medical, Permobil, Ki Mobility, Pride or Quantum Rehab.

Additionally, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Certification is highly desirable and mandatory for at least one staff member.

6.4 Orientation and Competency requirements

a. Contractor shall provide and document appropriate orientation programs for all Contractor employees involved in the delivery, recovery and repair of DME devices, e.g., safety and equipment management appropriate to the service provided, electrical requirements, backup system, equipment safety checks, troubleshooting, equipment set up, infection control procedures, patient confidentiality, handling emergencies, etc. The Contractor will educate, evaluate and document employee education in strict accordance with current TJC accreditation standards

b. Copies of the orientation/training programs attendance sheets (with employee signatures) will be reviewed by the COR during site visits.

6.5 HIPAA and Privacy training is required for all Contractor employees for those working in VISN 21 and for those staff at other offices in the country that handle VA patient-specific information – at the minimum on an annual basis.

6.6 Only employees that have been properly trained and who have demonstrated competency may perform DME services, equipment deliveries, recoveries, and patient education.

6.7 The Contractor shall establish a written policy detailing how employees are to approach and deal with bereaved family members when picking up or delivering equipment for a deceased

Veteran. This plan shall include provision of training to all employees who work with veterans and/or their families. The Contracting Officer and VAPIHCS Prosthetics CORs shall review and approve the policy and training plan prior to implementation by the Contractor.

7. SERVICE HOURS EXPECTATIONS

7.1 The normal operating hours will be Monday-Saturday 8 am to 5 pm. The Contractor is responsible for responding to emergency and expedited DME requests 24 hours/day, 7 days per week. Emergency and expedited requests will be approved by the COR or designee Monday- Friday 8-4:30. Emergency repair requests for safety reasons outside of the Monday- Friday 8:00-4:30 do not require COR approval if repair is less than $300. Most of the work requests for service will be between the hours 8:00 am until 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. To accommodate the changing workload of VAPIHCS, modifications to the normal operating hours may be necessary throughout the contract lifecycle.

7.2 Federal Holidays: The holidays observed by the Federal Government are:

New Year’s Day January 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Third Monday in January Presidents Day Third Monday in February Memorial Day Last Monday in May Independence Day July 4 Labor Day First Monday in September Columbus Day Second Monday in October Veterans Day November 11 Thanksgiving Day Fourth Thursday in November Christmas Day December 25

Or any other day specifically declared by the President of the United States of America to be a Federal Holiday. When one of the holidays falls on Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday. When a holiday falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday shall be observed as a Federal Holiday.

7.3 Full Services. The Contractor shall provide coverage seven days per week for routine, expedited and emergency service orders. To accommodate Veteran scheduling needs, the Contractor shall provide delivery, pickup, and repair services on weekends and evenings. The Distribution Center will be open Monday through Saturday 8 am-5 pm for customer pickup.

7.4 Contractor Telephone Accessibility

a. The Contractor shall provide a toll-free number and local phone number for Veterans, their caregivers, and the VAPIHCS. Phones will be answered during normal operating hours as referenced in paragraph 7.1.

b. The Contractor shall not place collect telephone calls to the CBOC or to any VA Veterans, family member or caregiver.

c. If an answering service is used to take emergency calls after hours, the answering service shall inform the patient that the contractor shall call the patient within 1-hour. The contractor shall respond to the patient by telephone within 1-hour of the initial patient call, regardless of whether they are using an answering service.

8. DME DELIVERY, SET-UP, PICK-UP, AND EDUCATION

8.1 Normal Service Delivery Orders

a. Unless otherwise approved by VAPIHCS Prosthetic Service or if the Veteran and/or guardian/relative requests additional time, the Contractor will contact the patient and/or family to set a time for delivery/set-up/pick-up of the equipment – this shall be done within 24 hours of receipt of the VAPIHCS Prosthetic Service order.

b. The delivery/set-up/pick-up itself shall be done within 72 hours of receipt of the order, unless otherwise approved by VA COR/VA Representative or if the Veteran and/or guardian/relative requests additional time.

c. Documentation is required if the established time frames for the DME delivery, set-up, repair or pick-up are not met. The Contractor shall notify the COR in writing (via email) within 24 hours.

d. During the pre-delivery phone call, the Contractor will tell the Veteran the items that will be delivered as prescribed. If the Veteran disagrees with some or all of the items that are to be delivered, the Contractor will not deliver any items and notify the COR within 24 hours by telephone and encrypted email.

8.2 Emergency Delivery Orders

a. Emergency deliveries shall be completed within four (4) hours after receipt of a delivery order (verbal and/or written), from an authorized VA representative or the Contracting Officer. An emergency exists if the appropriate PSAS staff or COR informs the Contractor that he/she considers the situation an emergency. Examples would be, but are not limited to, bed malfunction necessitating replacement bed for spinal cord injury patient or feeding pump malfunction.

b. Should the Contractor be unable to provide delivery or pick-up within the specified time, the Contractor shall immediately notify the VAPIHCS COR as to why he/she will be unable to perform as required by the contract. Notification shall provide sufficient time to allow the VA to seek other alternatives or remedies necessary to complete the contract requirements for patient care.

c. Should the Contractor fail to furnish services within specified time periods, after receipt of a delivery order, the VA reserves the right to obtain the service from another source and to charge the Contractor for all costs. The VA Contracting Officer or their designee shall be solely responsible for determining when to order service from another source.

d. Failure to provide services as set forth in this contract shall be considered grounds for invoking the provisions of default.

8.3 Expedited Delivery/Pickup Orders

a. An expedited service is any set-up, delivery, pick-up, or installation, required to be done within 1-business day.

b. Should the Contractor be unable to provide delivery or pick-up within the specified time, the Contractor shall immediately notify the VAPIHCS COR as to why they will be unable to perform as required by the contract. Notification shall provide sufficient time to allow the VA to seek other alternatives or remedies necessary to complete the contract requirements for patient care.

c. Should the Contractor fail to furnish services within specified time periods, after receipt of a delivery order, the VA reserves the right to obtain the service from another source and to charge the Contractor for all costs. The VA Contracting Officer or their designee shall be solely responsible for determining when to order service from another source.

d. Failure to provide services as set forth in this contract shall be considered grounds for invoking the provisions of default.

8.4 Delivery

a. Upon delivery of an item(s) to a veteran’s residence, the Contractor is required to set-up and adjust the item(s). (Note – upon delivery, the equipment becomes the personal property of the veteran.)

b. The veteran and/or caregiver will be fully instructed in the item’s use, safety, care and cleaning and receive the owner’s manual/guidebook as further described in Paragraph 8.8.

c. The area is to be left clean and orderly. During delivery or pick up service the Contractor is responsible for damages to a Veteran’s residence or Care Facility.

d. The delivery/repair technician will complete the DME Service Ticket. The DME Service Ticket should include at a minimum the following information:

(i) Date and Time of Service

(ii) Location

(iii) Technician printed name and signature

(iv) Veteran’s full name

(v) Veteran’s last 4 of social security number

(vi) Item(s) delivered

(vii) Item(s) Serial Number/Lot Number

(viii) Environmental Assessment completed. No issues found (Y/N/NA)

(ix) Electrical Safety Check completed. No issues found (Y/N/NA)

(x) Education completed (Y/N)

(xi) Manufacturer’s use and maintenance of item reviewed with the Veteran.

Manufacturer’s booklet provided.

(xii) VA Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities information provided

(xiii) Contact information and process for reporting equipment malfunctions and requesting repairs

(xiv) Comment

(xv) Satisfaction Survey left with Veteran (Y/N)

(xvi) Veteran’s signature and date

(xvii) Mileage in excess of 50 miles

e. The contractor will retain a copy of the checklist in the Veteran’s file.

8.5 Environmental Assessment

a. When equipment is delivered to a Veteran’s home, the Contractor shall review on-site environmental conditions including but not limited to electrical connections if powered equipment is delivered and observation of any fire/safety hazards. This includes addressing basic home safety, safe and appropriate use of equipment, handling, cleaning, storage, universal precautions, ensuring environment permits safe operation of equipment, noting observable fire, tripping, or safety hazards, and providing appropriate patient education related to fire/safety hazards.

b. If environmental or safety issues prevent safe operation of existing equipment/new equipment, the Contractor shall not leave the equipment, and shall notify the COR by phone and follow up with encrypted email within one business day of occurrence.

8.6 Documentation is required if the established time frames for the DME delivery, set-up, repair or pick-up are not met. The Contractor shall notify the COR in writing within 24 hours.

8.7 The Contractor is not considered a furniture moving company. Prior to equipment delivery, the veteran or family must have cleared the room to accommodate the prescribed equipment.

8.8 The VAPIHCS is responsible for payment of mileage in excess of 50 miles from the warehouse or VAPIHCS. The lesser distance from the site (warehouse or VAPIHCS) will be used to determine the mileage reimbursement. Payment will only be made for one way – no round-trip mileage. The one-way charges apply to the distance where the request is complete;

e.g. for a delivery, the mileage to the patient’s home but not the return trip; and for pick-up, the distance from the patient’s home to the vendor location and not the initial drive to get to the patient’s home. The mileage shall be calculated using the distances provided by MapQuest or equivalent software. The reimbursement rate will be the GSA contract rate for Privately Owned Vehicle Mileage-- www.gsa.gov. When multiple Jobs routes are consolidated MapQuest or equivalent routes sheets with waypoints must be submitted for mileage reimbursements.

8.9 Veteran Education

a. The Contractor shall provide education to each veteran at the time of set-up and assess the need for reinforcement during visits. This information is to be presented verbally, in demonstration and material covered shall be in written form to be left with the Veteran/caregiver. The written material shall be in English as well as the foreign language of the Veteran, should the Veteran not speak English. In the case of such an occurrence, the Contractor is to advise the VAPIHCS to facilitate adequate instructions.

b. All patient education material must be presented in written form to the COR for approval prior to the award. The Contractor as directed by COR or designee will implement any new or revised education material. The VA will determine whether the Contractor shall use their forms or forms supplied by the VA for documentation of services provided to VA Veterans.

c. The Contractor shall provide a copy of the DME Service Ticket with the Veteran’s signature at the time of each delivery to the VA Veteran and/or caregiver. The VA Veteran’s signature will confirm receipt of the item(s) being delivered and the understanding of the following:

(i) The safe and appropriate use of the medical equipment being supplied, as noted in the manufacturer’s owner’s manual/guidebook. Provide the manual to veteran and/or caregiver.

(ii) The storage and handling of the involved equipment, required maintenance, electrical safety, etc.

(iii)The proper procedure for obtaining repair services in the event of equipment malfunctions. The veteran must contact his/her primary care provider or the local Prosthetic office.

(iv)The proper procedure for patient reporting equipment malfunction, damage or other defect that renders the DME device inoperable.

d. The Contractor shall document that the Veteran/care giver instruction are in accordance with The Joint Commission Standards. A copy of DME Service Delivery Ticket will be stored in the Veteran’s folder. A copy of the Service Delivery Ticket will also be sent by secured electronic transmission to the Prosthetic COR or designee along with the invoice for payment within two calendar days (48 hours) following service completion.

8.10Veterans will be provided a copy of VA Patient Rights & Responsibilities.

8.11In addition, the Contractor shall perform in-home training and assessments for the Veteran and/or caregiver, in accordance with TJC regulations.

8.12 Contractor personnel shall have a highly visible picture identification bearing the company name and the employee's name when performing official duties with VA patients/families and VA personnel.

8.13 All Veterans and/or caregivers have the right of refusal of service. In the event a Veteran refuses service or orders the equipment to be removed from the home, the Contractor shall comply with the Veteran’s wishes. However, in addition to a written report, the Contractor shall report the specifics of the refusal to the COR by telephone within 1 hour. If the refusal occurs during a home visit, the Contractor’s staff shall make an attempt to notify the COR or designee of the refusal during the home visit.

8.14 Pick-up of equipment

a. Equipment delivered to the Veteran is the property of the Veteran. The Veteran is responsible for disposal if the item is no longer required or serviceable. On rare occasion, the COR may request pickup of an item(s). The Contractor will not pick-up any DME items from the patient’s home, unless they have a prior written VA authorization designating the item(s). The VA will not be charged for items that were not preauthorized for pickup. If the patient/family requests an item be picked up that is not already authorized, contact should be made to the VA COR/VA Representative for prior approval.

b. At no time should an item be picked up during delivery of DME. (Example: During hospital bed delivery, veteran requests that old previously delivered bed be picked up.

The bed is veteran’s property and the veteran is responsible for disposal). The Contractor has 72 hours from receipt of task order to pick-up equipment.

c. Equipment may be picked up when a repair cannot be completed at the Veteran’s residence.

9. MAINTENANCEAND REPAIR SERVICE (DME)

9.1 The maintenance and repair service for DME shall be performed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions by personnel who are qualified to service the specific equipment.

9.2 The Contractor shall be in accordance with TJC & CMS standards – universal/standard precautions in the cleansing of recovered DME as required by VA in the recovery, delivery and storage process, etc.

9.3 The Contractor shall establish written procedures to deliver, recover, receive, clean and, when appropriate, sterilize items that have been repaired.

9.4. The Contractor shall wash item using hospital grade detergent/disinfectant solution, label with a tag indicating the date of cleaning, cover in plastic and place in clean storage area.

9.5 Repairs

a. The Contractor is granted the first right of refusal for the repair of DME. Before any repairs are made, the Contractor agrees to submit an estimate of charges to the COR so that a purchase order can be issued by the VAPIHCS. Note: the VAPIHCS retains the right to review and determine if the price offered is disadvantageous to the VA and may pursue repairs elsewhere.

b. During normal operating hours, the Contractor agrees to submit an electronic estimate to the Purchasing Agent and carbon copy to the Prosthetics Representative if requested by the major site. Verbal estimates may be accepted if the contractor is out in the field and is unable to provide an electronic estimate.

The verbal estimate shall be followed with an electronic estimate within one business day.

c. The Contractor shall perform the repairs at the residence of the veteran, unless there is a need to return the item to the Contractor’s facility for extensive repairs. The contractor shall also provide repairs at nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation center and similar facilities as required.

d. Contractor shall attempt to resolve problem in first service call. It is expected that needed supplies for routine repairs shall be taken along to the Veteran’s home so that simple repairs can be accomplished in one (1) visit. If work cannot be completed in the initial service call, Contractor shall send to the PSAS representative via e-mail an estimate broken down to include list of required parts showing manufacturer, stock/part number and cost for each item and the delivery charge as well as length of time required for repair. In the event the Purchasing Agent, Contracting Officer, and/or Contractor’s email is not functioning, notification shall be made by telephone to the Purchasing Agent, Contracting Officer, and/or overnight mail within one calendar day of the occurrence.

e. The Contractor shall provide a quote for necessary repair work to be performed on equipment in storage at the Contractor’s facility. Quotes shall be itemized with parts, prices, and labor, time, and whether a 48-hour turnaround for repair can be met. No charges shall be made for the estimate. Payments for labor on repairs shall be made in accordance with the price schedule for the hourly rates in the schedule. Travel should be included under trip charge. When parts are needed for a repair case as an option, the contractor will provide a quote that will include the cost of parts at cost at no more than 10% dealer cost markup. The VA also reserves the right to purchase required parts and have them delivered to the Contractor. The Contractor will take no further action until the VA issues a purchase order to do the repair work at the estimated cost. The contractor is required to use new parts for repair; contractor shall not use used/salvaged parts for repair.

f. For all repairs except emergencies required during non-administrative hours, the contractor shall receive an order from the VAPIHCS purchasing official on the next VA workday prior to performing any work.

g. The Contractor shall inspect all home care equipment for damage when it is picked up from a Veteran’s home. If any damage has occurred, it will be reported to the VA COR along with an estimate for repairs. The Contractor will take no further action until the VA issues a purchase order to do the repair work at the estimated cost. Equipment will be repaired within 48 hours from the time the purchase order is issued unless delayed due to lack of parts. Any delay must be immediately communicated to the VAPIHCS COR.

h. Repairs performed by the Contractor without the prior approval of the VA and issuance of a purchase order shall be at no additional cost to the VA.

i. Repairs performed under warranty shall be performed by the manufacturer or its authorized representative. Accordingly, these repairs are not required to be performed by the Contractor unless they are an authorized manufacturer’s representative to perform the repairs. Parts provided under warranty should have no additional mark up and the labor for installation will be authorized as appropriate.

j. The contractor shall guarantee all materials and workmanship for a period of ninety (90) calendar days from the date of the repair or reissue.

k. In most cases, the VA will be responsible for notifying the Contractor of the need for repair services. In the event the patient contacts the Contractor directly, the Contractor shall not make repairs without prior approval of the VA COR, Prosthetic designee, and/or Contracting Officer.

9.6 Emergency Repairs

a. Emergency repairs shall be limited to equipment or repairs previously provided or issued by VA, and instances where there is clear indication of a safety issue for the Veteran that needs to be addressed before the next business day.

Emergency repairs shall not be authorized for convenience or situations where there was not safety issue necessitating an immediate repair.

b. Emergency repairs needed during Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm must be authorized by the COR or designee. Initial communication may be made by telephone to the COR or designee but must be followed up the next business day with a PKI encrypted e-mail including the invoice or quote. COR can provide verbal authorization for the emergency repair.

c. For emergency repairs outside of normal VA working hours Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and on Federal holidays, Veterans enrolled in the VA VISN 21 Health Care System that have received equipment or repairs for devices paid by VA Health Care System may contact the Contractor directly to request repairs for same equipment.

d. Emergency repairs for safety reasons that are required outside of Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm and on Federal holidays are authorized if the cost of the repair does not exceed $300 per occurrence. Repairs above the preauthorized amount must have authorization of the VAPIHCS Prosthetics Department.

e. The Contractor must notify the COR or designee that the Contractor by telephone message and/or PKI encrypted email that an emergency safety-related repair request has been received from a Veteran. Message and/or email should include the Veteran’s last name, SSN, statement of problem, and clear identification that this is an immediate safety-related need.

f. The Contractor shall submit a proper invoice along with the circumstances of the emergency repair/service to the COR, or delegate, on the first business day following the emergency repair/service.

g. Contractor shall charge the government the emergency repair assessment fee and routine repair labor rate for emergency repair requests that need to be completed in a maximum of four (4) hours regardless of the time of day or week.

9.7 Expedited Repairs

a. An expedited repair service is required to be completed within one business day from receipt of the verbal/written order.

b. The Contractor shall submit a proper invoice for the expedited service to the COR, or delegate, on the first business day following the expedited repair.

c. Contractor shall charge the government the expedited repair assessment fee and routine repair labor rate for expedited repair requests that need to be completed in a maximum of twenty-four (24) hours regardless of the time of day or week.

10. SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

10.1 Beds/Mattresses: The Contractor shall not re-issue or distribute used beds, used mattresses or mattress covers to Veterans. The Contractor will ensure appropriate education is provided related to home care bed safety. Set-up of home care beds and support surfaces will comply with the guidelines established by the VA Center for Patient Safety.

http://www.patientsafety.gov/

10.2 Permanent Fixtures and Installations: No permanent installation or alteration is authorized under this contract. Should there be a need to install or attach any permanent fixture to wall, ceilings, floors, etc., at the veteran’s premises; the Contractor shall provide a quote to the VAPIHCS Prosthetics Service for review and approval. This service shall be quoted and invoiced as a separate charge after issuance of a separate procurement request. If the property is rented a written Landlord permission is required prior to any permanent fixture installation.

10.3 Disposal: The Contractor at no charge to the VA will dispose of single-use patient equipment following use per established manufacturer’s guidelines. For multi- use equipment, the Contractor will follow the guidance of the VA COR/VA Representative in following proper VA procedures for the disposal of equipment. The Contractor is responsible for replacement if this guidance is not followed.

11. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

11.1 The Contractor shall perform an inventory review, with the VA COR of all DME upon commencement of the contract. This inventory shall be conducted jointly by the COR and the Contractor and signed by both parties.

11.2 Inventory Control System

a. The Contractor shall establish and maintain a system of inventory control to protect and preserve all DME and will use an integrated commercially available inventory management system e.g. Tecsys Inc, Fishbowl Inventory (QuickBooks).

Manually maintained Excel spreadsheets or other type of documents will not be an acceptable form of inventory management.

b. The Contractor's inventory control record shall contain at a minimum the following basic information for every item of Government-owned DME in the Contractor's possession:

(i) DME Description

(ii) Make and Model Number

(iii) Serial Number

(iv) HCPC

(v) Physical Condition: New or Used

(vi) Date inventory received in the warehouse

(vii) PO number

(viii) Date issued to Veteran

(ix) Patient Last Name

(x) Patient last four of Social Security Number (SSN)

(xi) Location (clean storage, temporary storage or VA Veteran’s home)

(xii) Items in possession of the Contractor which are not available for reissue shall also be identified and the reason for their non-availability noted.

11.3 The Contractor shall also maintain a cumulative log of DME issued during the contract period. The Contractor will provide the cumulative report if requested by the facility COR. The cumulative log will include the information stated in Paragraph 11.2b.

11.4 Inventory Weekly Report

a. The Contractor shall provide a weekly computer-generated inventory of VA owned equipment in the Contractor’s warehouse, delivered and picked-up, to be submitted to the VAPIHCS CORs or designee by PKI encrypted e-mail or by fax. This inventory shall list all VA owned items stored in the Contractor’s warehouse during the previous week.

b. The Contractor shall be required to perform WEEKLY inventory count in order to maintain the required inventory levels and to ensure that proper inventory procedures are operating effectively. This weekly inventory count will validate the computer-generated weekly report.

c. Packing slips from deliveries to the Contractor’s location will be faxed and/or scanned via email to the VAPIHCS Prosthetic Managers upon receipt of the package. The original packing slips will be kept by the Contractor and will be made available upon request.

11.5 Contractor and the VAPIHCS COR shall establish procedures to notify COR if inventory of a particular item reaches a point that an emergency order for that item needs to be completed.

11.6 On a monthly basis, the Contractor shall provide a monthly computer-generated inventory of equipment in storage, delivered and picked-up, to be submitted to the VAPIHCS CORs by PKI encrypted e-mail, in-person delivery or by fax by COB on the 7th calendar day of the next month. For each item the following information will be reported:

initial inventory, number delivered, number removed from inventory, number added to inventory, and final inventory. In addition, the contractor will provide a list of patients’ names, last four of SSN, item delivered, item condition, and serial numbers.

11.7 Vehicles

a. At all times, the Contractor shall have sufficient capacity of vehicles to handle all forms of equipment delivery. Delivery/pick-up delays are not to be encountered due to Contractor vehicle maintenance or breakdown of any kind.

b. The vehicles used in the performance of this contract must be licensed and meet the minimum requirements as mandated by each state/county/city in which work performance occurs.

c. The Contractor shall have all vehicles used in the performance of services under the contract in good working condition, clearly marked with company identification/logo, and conform to CDL weight capacity for the types and weight of equipment being transported. The Contractor shall have a covered vehicle to make pick-up and deliveries to Veterans. Vehicles will be able to handle all forms of DME for safe delivery and pick-up.

d. The delivery truck shall be kept in a sanitary condition, so that contamination of the equipment will not occur during transport. The vehicle shall be decontaminated monthly at a minimum. The vehicle shall be decontaminated each time a piece of contaminated equipment is picked up. The vehicle shall always be clean and subject to an unannounced inspection by COR of the applicable VAPIHCS.

e. Recovered equipment will be separated from new and cleaned equipment during transport, in accordance with TJC requirements. Each side shall be clearly marked as "Clean" or "Dirty" Clean equipment shall be kept in clear plastic bags. Dirty equipment shall not be kept in plastic bags.

f. All delivery trucks shall maintain a sufficient stock of essential and frequently used parts to facilitate repair in the home, especially repairs of manual/electric beds, Veteran lifts and low air loss mattresses. Documentation of regular maintenance, and any inspections related to the vehicles or their contents are subject to review upon request of the VA COR.

11.8 Inventory Reduction. Disposition of non-serviceable DME equipment including electric motors, batteries, etc. will be done in accordance with local regulations and manufacturers’ recommendations concerning waste disposal. The COR must approve of the disposal prior to its occurrence and it will be performed at no additional cost to the VAPIHCS.

11.9 VA-owned DME shall be stored separately from non-VA equipment and clearly tagged (marked) as VA equipment. All VA-owned DME will be covered in clean plastic sheeting or bagged to protect it from dust and dirt.

12. EQUIPMENT CLEANING/DISINFECTING (DME)

12.1 The Contractor shall sanitize all DME with an appropriate disinfectant solution that meets TJC, CMS and/or manufacturer disinfectant standards for durable medical equipment.

Cleaning is preliminary to disinfecting. The manual process usually involves surface cleaning to remove gross soil from the object and reduce the number of microorganisms for the object to a level, which is considered safe for human use.

12.2 The Contractor shall disinfect/sanitize according to the following:

a. TJC (IC) Standards

b. Manufacturers’ recommendations and guidelines

c. Company’s policies and procedures – in line with manufacturers’ recommendations and guidelines

d. Also, incorporated US Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 (Dated July 1, 1998). Title 29 CFR, Part 1910 may be viewed at the internet web-site:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-serach.html#page1

e. The Contractor shall ensure that returned DME shall be cleaned and thoroughly rinsed and dried to prevent corrosion/rusting before reissue utilizing sound infection control techniques. Clean plastic sheeting should cover all clean equipment.

12.3 Contaminated equipment placed in the same vehicle shall be separated from the clean to avoid cross contamination (i.e., curtain in vehicle or wall).

12.4 Returned equipment shall be inspected and placed in operating condition for reissue per the manufacturer’s instruction. All equipment shall be checked to ensure that it functions correctly prior to reissue and then covered with a clean dust cover during storage.

12.5 The Contractor shall maintain all returned contaminated DME in separate locations denoting “contaminated/awaiting proper cleansing procedures.” The Contractor shall separate clean and dirty equipment, using a TJC approved divider and protective covering.

13. ELECTRICAL SAFETY TESTING (DME)

13.1 The Contractor shall report all accidents, malfunctions, injuries, deaths, and equipment recalls related to the delivery and use of DME devices to the COR and Contracting Officer within 24 hours of notification of occurrence.

13.2 The Contractor shall perform an electric safety test to check the adequacy of the electrical outlets in the patient homes upon initial issue or repair of all electric equipment.

13.3 If equipment being furnished requires electrical power, prior to delivery the Contractor shall contact the Veteran to ensure that adequate three-pronged grounded outlets are available.