Q201--HCR- Medical Physicist Contract for Radiology and Dental (VA-26-00023708)

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. This is a Request for Information (RFI)/ Sources Sought Notice only and is issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 Market Research, in order to conduct market research. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a guarantee to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. All information submitted in response to this announcement is voluntary; the Government will not pay for information requested nor will it compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing information provided to the Government. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future solicitation, if issued. Determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract action based on responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. This announcement is based on the best information available at this time and is subject to future modification.

The purpose of this announcement is to gain knowledge of current market capabilities in relation to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code 541990 with a Size Standard $19.5 Million.

The Product Service Code (PSC) is Q201- Medical- Managed Healthcare

Network Contracting Office (NCO 2) of the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of the VISN 2 Upstate Medical Centers (Albany & Finger Lakes VA Medical Center) is seeking a contractor (s) to assist with medical physicist services.

The Contractor shall provide all labor, material, supplies, equipment, transportation, software and qualified personnel, to provide medical physicist services in support of the Finger Lakes & Albany Health VA Radiation Safety Program. Radiology departments are located in Rochester, Canandaigua, Bath and Albany. All work is performed on site at the VA facilities listed below. A working day shall be considered Monday through Friday, not counting Federal Holidays, unless agreed upon with the RSO. Work may be performed during normal off hours with adequate coordination with the Finger Lakes Health VA. There will be no extra charge for working during normal off hours. For example, performing checks on equipment during early evening hours or a Saturday/Sunday when the patient work load is less and the equipment is more readily available.

The Finger Lakes Health VA is looking for pricing for 1 year plus 4 possible 1-year extensions. The Finger Lakes Health VA has the option of not exercising an option year. The Finger Lakes Health VA has the option of terminating the contract due to lack of performance of the medical physicist.

Prior to commencing work all contractor employees shall meet certain criteria to perform work under this contract as a Medical Physicist. All qualifications are subject to review by the VA Finger Lakes/Albany Health System Chief of Staff and approval by the VA Finger Lakes Health Director.

1. Medical Physicists shall meet the following education, certification, and qualification standards:

1. Hold a Master s Degree in Medical Physics, Health Physics or a related field.

2. Hold current Board Certification in Diagnostic Radiological Physics by the

American Board of Radiology and or American Board of Medical Physics.

3. Medical physicist should have experience in:

CT Optimization

Calibration and testing of diagnostic x-ray equipment.

2. Medical Physicist duties shall not be reassigned to a Technologist or any other individual without written approval by the VA Radiation Safety Officer or his/her designee.

3. Medical Physicist must adhere to VHA Handbook 1105.04, Fluoroscopy Safety, dated June 21, 2018. Contractor shall comply with radiation protection standards 29 CFR 1910.1096 and immediately report any unsafe conditions with the potential to adversely impact the facticity radiation workers or patients to the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO).

General Requirements

Contractor shall perform Annual QC Testing on existing Diagnostic x-ray equipment (Radiographic, Fluoroscopic, CT, DR, Digital Radiographic plates, and MRI safety check) to meet the requirements of the VA Finger Lakes Health System Radiation Safety Program.

Reference Appendix 1 for a list of equipment to be tested.

Additional testing is also required as follows:

Acceptance testing of new devices, usually 1 per year.

Full inspection of repaired or adjusted equipment that may affect the radiation output or image quality

Testing of each replacement X-ray tube prior to patient use.

Testing of diagnostic monitors used by Radiologists and Technologists for patient imaging.

Contractor is to provide written reports of surveys and test results in a timely manner.

Contractor will respond promptly to any discrepancies found from external inspections. Provide written response to outside agencies when applicable.

The qualified medical physicist shall provide consultation for additional services as needed, i.e., safety training, and medical events involving radiation exposure.

The qualified medical physicist shall review all Radiation Safety Policies and Procedures with attention to compliance with regulations of NHPP and JCAHO.

Contractor is to submit a list of key personnel with the offer. Define each individual s education, certification and licensure.

Scheduling and Response Times

All annual tests will be scheduled in advance.

All testing on new devices or repaired or adjusted equipment requires one business day response time, in order to maintain functionality and minimize the effect on patient care.

A written report of the results shall be provided to the service supervisor or RSO within Thirty (30) working days after completion of the inspection.

Equipment Performance Evaluation and Quality Control Test

The Contractor shall conduct equipment inspections or quality control surveys of the imaging equipment listed below. The Contractor shall ensure the imaging equipment s compliance with applicable federal regulations and ACR recommendations, and shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring the following basic performance characteristics:

1. Equipment Inspections

The Contractor shall conduct equipment inspections or quality control surveys of the imaging equipment listed below. The Contractor shall ensure the imaging equipment s compliance with applicable Federal regulations and ACR recommendations, and shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring the following basic performance characteristics. The actual number and types of imaging units required to be checked may vary with replacement of existing units or purchase of new equipment.

Estimated Quantities and Locations

Description

#

Advanced Imaging Devices / Equipment

(CT, PET/CT, Mammography, MRI, Nuclear Medicine Audits)

3

Rad/Fluoro/Tomo Tubes

(X-Ray, Digital, Fluoro, C-Arm)

10

Minor Radiographic Tubes

(Dental, DEXA)

23

Consultations

36

* Patient dose evaluation is included

1. BATH VA CENTER, 76 Veterans Ave, Bath, NY 14810

2. CANANDAIGUA VA CENTER, 400 Fort Hill Ave, Canandaigua, NY 14424

3. ROCHESTER OUTPATIENT CENTER (ROPC), 260 Calkins Rd, Henrietta, NY 14467

4. ALBANY STRATTON VA MEDICAL CENTER 113 Holland Ave. Albany, NY 12208

A. Radiographic and Fluoroscopic Equipment

Physics inspections of radiographic and fluoroscopic equipment shall comply with the VA Finger Lakes Health Radiation Safety Program and the ACR Technical Standard for Diagnostic Medical Physics Performance monitoring of Radiographic and Fluoroscopic Equipment. The performance of each radiographic and fluoroscopic unit must be evaluated at least annually. This evaluation should include, but not be limited to, the following tests (as applicable):

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 [FOV] 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. Maximum output for all clinically used settings.

Image receptor entrance exposure.

Equipment radiation safety functions.

Patient dose monitoring system calibration.

Video and digital monitor performance.

Digital image receptor performance.

Grids used with portable x-ray units shall be imaged for uniformity.

B. Computed Radiography (CR) and Digital Radiography (DR)

Physics inspections of CR and DR equipment shall comply with American Association of Physicist in Medicine (AAPM) Report Number 93, Acceptance Testing and Quality Control of Photostimulable Storage Phosphor Imaging Systems. The performance of CR and DR must be evaluated at least annually. This evaluation should include, but not be limited to, the following tests (as applicable):

Component and Imaging Plate Physical Inspection and Inventory

Imaging Plate Dark 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

Positioning and Collimation Errors

C. CT Scanners

The physics inspection shall conform to the 2012 ACR Computed Tomography Quality Control Manual. The performance of each CT scanner shall be evaluated at least annually. This evaluation should include, but not be limited to, the following tests (as applicable):

Review of Clinical Protocols

Review CT Optimization at least annually

Scout Prescription and Alignment Light Accuracy

Image thickness Axial Mode

Table Travel Accuracy

Radiation Beam Width

Low-Contrast Performance

Spatial Resolution

CT Number Accuracy

Artifact Evaluation

CT Uniformity

Dosimetry ( the scanner displayed CTDIvol values must be within +/-20% of the measured CTDIvol values)

Gray Level Performance of CT Acquisition Display Monitors

D. Dental

The physics inspection shall conform to the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), Quality Control Recommendations for Diagnostic Radiography Volume 1 Dental Facilities July 2001. The performance of each dental x-ray shall be annually. This evaluation should include, but not be limited to, the following tests (as applicable):

Collimation

Beam quality (half value layer)

Timer Accuracy and Reproducibility

kVp Accuracy and Reproducibility

mA or mAs Linearity

Exposure Reproducibility

Entrance Skin Exposure Evaluation

Technique Chart Evaluation

Image uniformity (artifact evaluation)

E. Display Monitors

The physics inspection shall conform to the AAPM On-line Report No. 03, Assessment of Display Perform for Medical Imaging Systems. The performance of each display monitor shall be evaluated initially, acceptance testing, and at least annually thereafter. This evaluation should include, but not be limited to, the following tests (as applicable):

Acceptance testing (Table 7 from AAPM On-line Report No. 03) and (Table 8c form AAPM On-line Report No. 03)

Geometric distortions

Reflection

Luminance response

Luminance dependencies

Resolution

Noise

Veiling glare

Chromaticity

Equipment

1. Government Furnished Equipment and Software:

The Government will provide the following

1. CT image quality phantoms

2. Contractor Furnished Equipment and Software:

The Contractor shall provide all other equipment and software not specifically cited above to perform the requirements of this contract. At a minimum:

1. Testing all diagnostic x-ray equipment

2. CT scanner

Miscellaneous Evaluations (Radiographic, Fluoroscopic, CT, PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine)

The qualified diagnostic medical physicist shall provide shielding design calculations for each new, replacement, or relocated x-ray imaging system. The calculations for each shall comply with the National Council for Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report No 147 and, for dental units, NCRP Report No.145 and shall be documented in a written report, which includes a diagram showing adjacent areas. The qualified diagnostic medical physicist shall perform a shielding survey to verify the structural shielding was installed per the shielding design report and complies with the design goals. A written report of the shielding survey shall be provided to the RSO within five (5) workings days after the shielding survey has been completed.

The qualified medical physicist shall assist in the development of a comprehensive technical quality assurance program (QA) (e.g., technique charts, repeat/reject analysis monitoring, monitoring of exposure indices to radiographic image receptors, QA program for display monitors, QA for CT, monitoring of dose metrics from fluoroscopy studies), which complies with ACR recommendations, for all modalities.

The qualified diagnostic medical physicist shall follow up on any discrepancies found on previous inspections including external i.e., ACR, JCAHO, IOG, VORP or internal audits.

Travel/Transportation

1. The Contractor shall provide all transportation necessary to perform the requirements of this contract, if included in services.

2. All travel related costs, including lodging or any other miscellaneous costs shall be the sole responsibility of the contractor and shall be included in the finished fixed unit price on the Price Schedule.

3. The Contractor shall not charge the hourly rate for services while in transit to any of the sites.

1. Dental Radiology units

Planmeca (I/O) and Carestream Pano- Bath (11 units total)

Gendex I/O and Planmeca Pano- ROPC (5 units)

Gendex, Toshiba I/O and Planmeca Pano- Canandaigua (6 units)

2. Digital Radiology units

Philips Digital Diagnostic and DR plate-Bath

GE XR646 and DR plate-Bath

Carestream DRX Revolution portable and DR Plate-Bath

Shimadzu Dart Portable and DR Plate-Bath

GE Discovery XR 656 Plus (G2) and DR Plate-ROPC

GE Discovery XR 656 Plus (G2) and DR Plate-ROPC

GE Discovery 650 and DR Plate- Canandaigua

GE Legacy RF-Canandaigua

GE Precision 600 FP and DR Plate-ROPC

GE Precision 500D RF and DR Plate-Bath

3. Computerized Tomography

Siemens GO.Top 126 slice and CTDP- Bath

Siemens Somatom 64 slice and CTDP- Canandaigua

Siemens Somatom 64 slice and CTDP- ROPC

Responses to this Sources Sought Notice must include all of the following information and not a boiler plate capability statement or marketing material.

Company Name

Address

Contact Person Name

Contact Person Phone Number

Contact Person Email Address

Company SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

Company website

Type of business (such as 8(a), small business, Hub Zone small business, Small Disadvantaged business, Service Disabled Veteran Owned small business, Veteran Owned small business, Woman Owned small business, large business)- Note for SDVOSB or VOSB only: If responding as an SDVOSB or VOSB, your company must be certified in the Small Business Administration (SBA) s VetCert database, which is available at: http://veterans.certify.sba.gov/

Does your company have at least one year of experience providing medical physicist services with an active contract in good standing with the local VA medical center OR

At least one year of experience performing medical physicist services in good standing with the local VA medical center OR

Other City, State, or Federal projects, programs, grants, or contracts deemed relevant by the VA that meet the immediate medical physicist service requirements to serve our veterans.

If so, provide the following information:

Contract number

Location

Number of cases

Total award amount (base period + any option periods)

Name of Contracting Officer

Has your company ever submitted an offer for a VA medical physicist service contract?

Will your company be a joint venture with another company?

Responses to this market survey should be in writing only and emailed to Meaghan Gallagher, Contracting Specialist at Meaghan.Gallagher@va.gov. No telephone or faxed responses will be accepted. Do not submit capability statements. Only responses to the above questions will be considered responsive to this market research request.

Responses must be received no later than 12:00PM ET June 25th, 2026.