Disability Examination Management

Added: Nov 09, 2010 2:53 pm THIS IS A PRESOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR POTENTIAL OFFERORS. Please reference Request for Proposal (RFP) number VA-791-10-RP-0031. The Department of Veterans Affairs Denver Acquisition & Logistics Center, in support of Veterans Health Administration (VHA), intends to solicit proposals from qualified offerors for a full range of medical disability examinations to include musculoskeletal; organs of sense; infectious , immune, and nutritional deficiencies; respiratory; cardiovascular; digestive; genitourinary; gynecological and breast; hemic and lymphatic; skin; endocrine; neurologic; mental disorders; dental; and oral examinations.



Currently, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) administers the Compensation & Pension (C&P) Program for benefits to Veterans, their dependents, and their survivors. Entitlement determinations for disability compensation claims and disability pension claims are made by VBA Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSRs) and Decision Review Officers (DROs) working in VA Regional Offices (VAROs) across the country. Disability examinations are typically performed by Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinical staff. The requirement for examinations to be performed by non-VA providers is supplemental to VHA effort and is intended to provide the various military services within the Department of Defense with a vehicle to secure Disability Examination Services (DES) for active duty members through VHA, and allow a more efficient decision and transition to VA care after separation or retirement from active service.



Contract providers will be expected to follow established protocols for performing examinations. These protocols follow two specific sets of requirements. The first requirement set derives from C&P examination worksheets. These worksheets serve as policy framework for the examinations. The worksheets are further specified in templates. These templates provide detailed rules for performance of examinations.



Disability examinations are critical pieces of evidence for determining the extent of permanent impairment, and thus the percent of disability that defines the benefits a Veteran is awarded. Because it is so critical, the examination report must be of highest quality, providing valid, essential information to support each disability diagnosed, impairment statement and causality opinion. It is not enough to simply state a diagnosis and impairment statement and opinion if necessary. The examination report must provide detailed information sufficient for RVSRs and allow for the VA DROs to arrive at a determination that is able to withstand the scrutiny of appellate review. Contracted providers will not issue eligibility decisions but provide some or most of the clinical support data to permit a timely review and decision from VA employees.



Contractor performance of these examinations may be required by any of the VA's Medical Centers throughout the United States including Asia (Naha Okinawa; Tokyo, Japan; Guam), Europe (Frankfurt, Germany), and Latin America (San Jose, Costa Rica; Mexico City, Mexico). In addition to VA sites, the VA may require contractor support for participating Department of Defense (DoD) facilities in California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma Kentucky and Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.



All providers shall have all licenses, permits, accreditation, and certificates required by law. All must be graduates of an accredited medical school and licensed in the state where the examinations will occur.



The Government may award one or more firm fixed price indefinite delivery indefinite quantity type contracts. The contract period will be from the date of contract award through September 30, 2011, with four one-year options to be exercised at the discretion of the Government.



This procurement is being conducted under the authority of Title 38 U.S.C. Section 8153. The North American Classification Codes are 621111, 621112 and 524114 and the Small Business Size Standards are $7.5 Million, $7.5 Million and $5.0 Million respectively. This is a full and open procurement for any and all qualified, experienced, and knowledgeable business entity(s) who can meet the requirements.



Solicitation documents will be available electronically on or about November 17, 2010 at the FedBizOpps website at http://www.fbo.gov. NO HARD COPIES OF THE SOLICITATION WILL BE ISSUED. The anticipated closing date is December 17, 2010 and anticipated award date is February 3, 2011.



Questions should be forwarded to Joy Bartlett at: IDES@va.gov.



NOTE: EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2003, ALL CONTRACTORS MUST BE REGISTERED ON THE CCR WEBSITE AS AN ACTIVE VENDOR IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD AND TO RECEIVE PAYMENTS AGAINST AN EXISTING AWARD. PLEASE BE SURE YOUR FIRM IS REGISTERED. THE WEBSITE URL IS: http://www.ccr.gov.



ONLINE REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS APPLICATION (ORCA) WEBSITE:



PROSPECTIVE CONTRACTORS SHALL COMPLETE ELECTRONIC ANNUAL REPRESENTATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS AT https://orca.bpn.gov IN CONJUNCTION WITH REQUIRED REGISTRATION IN THE CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (CCR) DATABASE (SEE FAR 4.1102).



This announcement is not a request for proposal and does not bind the Government to award any contract.