H366--Radiation Safety Services

Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

Page 8 of 8

Sources Sought Notice

Sources Sought Notice

Page 1 of 8

DESCRIPTION

This is a request for information and will be used for market research purposes only. The sources sought notice is used to identify potential vendors that have the resources and capabilities to provide the services that will ensure the radiation safety of the Beckley VA Medical Center

Description of Work

The contractor shall include all labor, resources, rentals, travel, materials and all expenses necessary to accomplish this requirement.

Performance Period

One base year (12 months) with Four, 12-month optional year periods from date of award.

Deliverables -

1. GENERAL

a. Establish personnel exposure investigational levels that, when exceeded, will initiate a prompt investigation by the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) of the cause of the exposure and a consideration of actions that might be taken to reduce the probability of recurrence.

b. It may be necessary for the Diagnostic Imaging Service to contact the contractor for support services; contractor shall be available to the RSO within 23 hours of notification by the RSO or designee.

c. Reviews all quality control and quality assurance records performed in Nuclear Medicine

d. The contractor shall check laboratory areas and hot lab with appropriate instrumentation.

e. Contractor shall provide support services, as requested by the RSO, relating to problems (exposure, spills, and disposal), equipment changes and regulation changes.

f. Contractor shall provide technical direction and make recommendations to the RSO on controls and procedures of radionuclides requested by investigators and other uses at this Medical Center.

g. Contractor shall provide technical guidance in the disposition of all radioactive waste and inspect all records of radiation use a disposal and ratify to the RSO that all such materials have been disposed of in accordance with all regulatory agencies policies.

h. Contractor shall review NHPP licensing specifications on a regular basis regarding current and new regulation required by NRC. Contractor shall provide technical direction to the RSO. In the development of VAMC Safety Manual changes to assure that Safety Manual procedures are in accordance with NRC licensing specifications at all times. Contractor shall verbally notify RSO of any violations at the time of visit. A review of all areas for violation on non-compliance of NHFF licensing regulations shall be reported and document to the RSO. This written report is due by the fifth working day after the date of the visit.

i. Contractor shall review minutes for completeness and accuracy of the Radiation Safety Committee Semi Annual Meeting.

j. Contractor shall review records of quality control and corrective actions taken for any equipment used for detecting and measurement of radioactivity, Contractor shall review and oversee the quality assurance program in Nuclear Medicine, ensuring it is consistent with all regulatory agencies requirements. Any deficiencies shall be verbally communicated to the RSO at time of discovery followed by a written report within five calendar days.

k. Contractor shall review VAMC Quality Control Procedures, (2) Gamma Cameras, (1) Well/Uptake Probe, (2) Dose Calibrators, to ensure compliance with established NHPP and other appropriate standards. Any discrepancies shall be verbally reported dot the RSO at the time of the visit, followed by a written report within (5) calendar days of discovery so that corrective action can be initiated by the VAMC.

l. Contractor shall perform Dose Calibrator Linearity in Nuclear Medicine.

m. Contractor shall perform Dose Calibrator Calibration and Accuracy at least annually in Nuclear Medicine.

n. Contractor shall perform Well Counter/Thyroid Probe Chie Square in Nuclear Medicine.

o. Contractor shall perform Well Counter/Thyroid Probe Efficiency at least annually in Nuclear Medicine.

p. Contractor shall conduct an inventory and perform wipe tests of sealed sources in Nuclear Medicine. A written report shall be provided to the RSO, within (5) calendar days after date the Inventory Wipe Test was accomplished, documenting any deficiencies and recommendations for corrective action.

q. Contractor shall prove the RSO a summary of all work performed under the contract, including recommended corrective actions and support services. Report is due by the (5tH) workday of the month which follows the month the work was done.

r. Contractor shall provide the Imaging Support Team (Nuclear Medicine) a comprehensive radiation protection safety survey of this facility.

s. Contractor shall maintain records of this medical center s personnel radiation exposures in the event the medical center should change film badge provider, all previous radiation readings must be transferred to the new provider.

t. Contractor shall provide support services by phone, fax or email at no additional charge.

u. Contractor shall monitor, analyze, and identify over-exposures, and provide annual ALARA reviews of individual radiation dosimetry reports for monthly and quarterly body badges, waist badges, and TLD ring badges.

v. Contractor shall follow the protocols for performing diagnostic x-ray protection surveys at all times.

w. Contractor shall conduct surveys of all radiographic/fluoroscopic tubes on an annual basis. In addition, contractor will provide JCAHO (PEEP) analysis of skin entrance dose.

y. Annual review of Computed Tomography (CT) protocols and advises/recommends on current standards of practice and account for changes in CT imaging equipment.

z. Provide radiation safety training to our nuclear medicine technologists/Radiation Safety Officer which includes one day per month of onsite training to ensure RSO meets the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements and can be named as the RSO on our permit. This service will be paid on an as needed basis.

2. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS

a. All health physicists performing services under this contract shall be board certification in diagnostic radiologic physics or radiologic physics by the American Board of Radiology, or in Diagnostic Imaging Physics by the American Board of Medical Physics, or in Diagnostic Radiological Physics by the Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine, or meet all the following requirements:

A graduate degree in physics, medical physics, biophysics, radiologic physics, medical health physics, or a closely related science or engineering discipline from an accredited college or university.

Formal graduate-level coursework in the biological sciences with at least one course in biology or radiation biology and one course in anatomy, physiology, or a similar topic related to the practice of medical physics.

Documented experience in a clinical CT environment conducting at least 10 CT performance evaluations under the direct supervision of a board-certified medical physicist certified by one of the following boards; American Board of Radiology, American Board of Health Physicists or American Board of Medical Physics. Certification must be maintained throughout the contract performance period (PER Joint Commission)

b. Health physicist shall possess an M.S. or PhD. In health physics from an accredited university.

c. Personnel must also have experience in Hospital Medical Physics.

d. Documentation of the personnel qualifications must be submitted with offer.

3. COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE

The contractor shall provide comprehensive reports documenting the performances of the following services in support of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission s ALARA Program:

a. Contractor shall audit radiation workers exposure history. Audits shall include reviews of exposure records, analysis of the highest exposures in each service, and shall provide written recommendation to the RSO.

b. Contractor shall provide support for all NRC required radiation training of VA employees, including radiation safety training, and required DOT/HAZMAT training.

c. Contractor shall review all required licenses.

d. Contractor shall perform structural shielding design and provide written documentation of shielding survey evaluations before, during and after installation of all ionizing radiation equipment.

e. Contractor shall provide survey meter calibrations.

f. Contractor shall calculate and provide patient dose measurements for diagnostic radiology (JCAHO-DR 2.2.,10.1) and nuclear medicine (JCAHO-NM 2.2, 14.1)

g. Perform acceptance testing on all new ionizing producing equipment as required by regulation specification. This section is billable per line item, Acceptance Testing and Post Repairs.

4. PERFORMANCE

a. Most of the work determined under this contract shall be performed during the medical center s regular administrative hours of 0800-1630, Monday through Friday excluding Federal holidays. However, there may be times when the contractor may be needed after regular working hours.

b. All work shall commence with 48 hours after receipt of telephonic, written or verbal notification and will proceed progressively without undue delay. All work shall be performed by competent technicians, experienced and qualified to work on the specific equipment. All work performed shall be in accordance with established commercial practices. The Qualified Medical Physicist (QMP) may be assisted in data acquisition/collections by trained individual. The QMP will have oversight of this individual.

c. Check-in procedure: Contractor s representatives shall report to the Radiation Safety Officer prior to starting and completing all services.

5. HEALTH PHYSICS REQUIREMENTS ANNUAL

a. Contractor shall provide the RSO an Annual summary of work performed under the contract, including recommended corrective actions and support services.

b. Contractor shall perform an annual review of VAMC radiation safety policies and procedures to assure compliance with all applicable laws/regulations/statutes governing the facility s NHPP License. This review shall be conducted during the month of May during the contract period. A written report documenting any deficiencies and recommendations for corrective action shall be provided to the ROS not later than June 30th of the contract period.

c. Contractor shall calibrate three portable radiation survey meters annually to ensure accuracy of measurements.

6. RADITATION SURVEY

Conduct annual quality control survey and certification of the radiographic equipment listed below. The contractor shall ensure the radiographic equipment s compliance with applicable Federal and state regulatory requirements, and shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring the following performance characteristics:

a. For Radiography/Fluoroscopy Equipment

Integrity of unit assembly

Collimation and radiation beam alignment

Fluoroscopic system resolution

Automatic exposure control system performance

Fluoroscopic automatic brightness control performance (high-dose-rate pulsed modes, field-of-view variation)

Image artifacts

Fluoroscopic phantom image quality

kVp accuracy and reproducibility

Linearity of exposure versus mA or mAs

Exposure reproducibility

Timer accuracy

Beam quality assessment (half-value layer)

Fluoroscopic entrance exposure rates

Image receptor entrance exposure

Equipment radiation safety functions

Patient dose monitoring system calibration

Video and digital monitor performance

Digital image receptor performance

Inspection of all lead aprons, gloves and shields

b. Radiology CR Equipment

Component and Imaging Plate Physical Inspection and Inventory

Imaging Plate Dare Noise and Uniformity

Exposure Indicator Calibration

Linearity and Auto-ranging Response

Laser Beam Function

Limiting Resolution and Resolution Uniformity

Noise and Low Contrast Resolution

Spatial Accuracy

Erasure Thoroughness

Aliasing/Grid Response

IP Throughput

Position and Collimation Errors

c. Ultrasound Units

Physical inspection

QC program review

Image uniformity

Depth visualization

Axial and lateral resolution

Vertical and horizontal distance accuracy

d. Computerized Tomography

Alignment light accuracy

Alignment of table to gantry

Table/gantry tilt

Slice localization from scanned projection radiograph

Table incrimination accuracy

Slice thickness

Image quality

High-contrast resolution

Low-contrast sensitivity and resolution

Image uniformity

Noise

Artifact evaluation

CT number accuracy, linearity, and homogeneity

Display devices

Image display monitor(s)

Hard-copy display unit(s), if available

Dosimetry

CT dose index

Patient radiation dose for representative examinations

Safety evaluation

Visual inspection

Workload assessment

Scatter and stray radiation measurements (if workload and other related parameters have changed since acceptance testing or if CT fluoroscopy is routinely performed)

Audible/visual signals

Posting requirements

Other tests as required by state or local regulations

SMPTE test pattern review

e. Nuclear Medicine

Intrinsic uniformity

System uniformity

Intrinsic or system spatial resolution

Relative sensitivity

Energy resolution

Count rate parameters

Formatter/video display

Overall system performance for SPECT

System interlocks

Geiger Counters QA

Non-Diagnostic CT QA

SMPTE test pattern review

Dose Calibrators

Test measurement of battery voltage

Zero adjustment

Background adjustment

Constancy

Linearity

Accuracy with NIST traceable standards

Geometry

f. Thyroid Uptake and Counting Systems

I-123 capsule or long-lived standard calibration check

Count of background

High voltage/gain checks

Energy resolution

Chi-square test

Annual efficiency

g. MRI

Image uniformity for all radiofrequency coils used clinically

Signal to noise ratio for all coils used clinically

Slice thickness accuracy

Slice position accuracy

High-contrast resolution

Low-contrast resolution

Geometric or distance accuracy

Magnetic field homogeneity

Artifact evaluation

Alignment light accuracy

SMPTE Test pattern review

h. For all BRH compliance tests, documentation of measured values used to certify compliance shall be provided.

i. Furnish a measured skin entrance dose (in MR) for each x-ray tube tested using typical technique for the unit under typical tests

j. Furnish a radiation dose rate for each mode of operation for typical prolonged fluoroscopically guided invasive procedures performed on fluoro units. Units to be tested are listed above.

k. Survey shall be conducted throughout the year as scheduled at mutually agreed upon times between the RSO and contractor. The annual written report of surveys is to be submitted within five days after completion. Time of inspection is to be coordinated with the RSO. Any equipment that is under repair at the time of inspection is to be coordinated with the RSO. Any equipment that is under repair at the time of inspection shall be scheduled for a later inspection billable per line item, Acceptance Testing and Post Repairs.

l. Contractor must test all Imaging equipment according to ACR guidelines:

Annually

After first installation but before clinical use and post repairs or modification s that might affect radiation output or image quality. Billable per line item, acceptance testing and post repairs.

m. Radiographic Equipment to be Surveyed: Equipment list is subject to change due to possible equipment replacement.

MODALITY

EQUIPMENT

QUANTITY

Dental

Panoramic

2

Radiographic Units

7

Radiology

Fluoro Unit

1

General Radiology

3

Mobile Units

2

CT Unit

1

Ultrasound Units

3

Surgery

Urology Unit

1

C-Arm

1

Nuclear Medicine

N/M Scanner w/XCT

2

Well/Thyroid Probe

1

Dose Calibrator

2

Survey Meter

3

Interested & Capable Responses -

NCO 5 is seeking responses from businesses that are interested in this procurement and consider themselves to have the resources and capabilities necessary to provide these services. Please respond with your:

Business name, business type, socio-economic status (e.g., Veteran-Owned, Woman-Owned, Disadvantaged Small Business, 8(a), etc.), and person of contact (including telephone number & email address).

GSA contract number; if you have one. Period of Performance dates, and any contract extensions if applicable.

Capability statement and summary of relevant experience Additionally, identify key personnel and resumes are welcomed.

Ballpark cost estimate and suggested price schedule of what VHA could expect to pay your company to perform the work described above.

Responses to the information requested above must be submitted via email to craig.armagost@va.gov, by July 26th, 2023 NLT 15:00hrs EST.

This request for information/sources sought notice is for planning purposes ONLY. The results of this market research will assist in the development of (1) the requirement, and (2) the acquisition strategy (e.g., small business set-aside, full and open competition, etc.). VA assumes no responsibility for any costs incurred associated with the preparation of responses submitted as a result of this notice.