Q527--36C257-22-AP-4702/NEW--Medical Physicist Services

DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL PHYSICIST

VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS)

4500 S Lancaster Rd, Dallas, TX 75216

I. Description of Services

Scope of Work. The Contractor shall provide all personnel, transportation, equipment and software within the scope of practice to supply Diagnostic Medical Physicist services in support of the Veterans Affairs North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS) Nuclear Medicine Service. The period of performance will be from November 5, 2022 through November 4, 2023 with the possibility of additional option years to extend the contract. This position will include a low-level Background Investigation.

Work schedule. Typical work hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am 4:30 pm. However, a flexible work schedule will be considered to accommodate the needs of Contractor and VANTHCS and will be negotiated between the COR and vendor prior to work being performed during non-business hours. Standard VA requirements for time and attendance will be utilized. Nuclear Medicine Service will establish a record keeping system of contractor hours worked. Contractor employees shall adhere to Nuclear Medicine record keeping requirements.

Equipment. The Nuclear Medicine Service currently has the following imaging cameras on site:

Hologic Bone Densitometer x3

GE 670 CZT Digital SPECT/CT x2

Siemens Intevo SPECT/CT x2

Siemens EVO Gamma Camera

GE Discovery Digital MI PET/CT System x2

GE 630 Gamma Camera x 2

Nuclear Medicine Service is expected to install the following equipment during the duration of the contract:

SPECT/CT System

II. Duties and Responsibilities. The contractor will provide the following services for each camera as required by the Nuclear Medicine Service: Performance of acceptance testing, calibration, and safety surveys of imaging equipment in accordance with the American College of Radiology (ACR) and Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) standards for Nuclear Medicine. It is anticipated that 1 week will be devoted to each of the aforementioned cameras. For any deficiencies noted during testing, the specialized Medical Physicist will make recommendations and assist resolution as well as provide follow-up testing that documents resolution.

III. Annual Performance Testing includes and not limited to:

Intrinsic Uniformity - Performed to ensure that the intrinsic detector integral and differential uniformity are sufficient to minimize the production of artifacts and ensure that patient abnormalities can be visualized without interference from the imaging system. These tests also monitor a scintillation unit for electronic problems and crystal deterioration (hydration).

System Uniformity - Performed to check all commonly used collimators for defects that might produce artifacts in planar and tomographic studies.

Intrinsic or System Spatial Resolution - Performed to ensure that the detector resolution is sufficient to provide satisfactory detection of lesions and delineate detail in clinical images.

Sensitivity - Performed to verify that count rate per unit activity is satisfactory to maintain image quality and preserve the integrity of quantitative studies.

Energy Resolution - Performed to verify that scatter rejection is sufficient to provide optimal contrast in clinical studies.

Count Rate Parameters - Performed to ensure that the time to process an event is sufficient to maintain spatial resolution and uniformity in clinical images acquired at high count rates.

CT Evaluation - Annual/Initial CT evaluation based on ACR & Joint Commission requirements

Formatter/Video Display - Performed to ensure that systems used to produce hard copy and monitors that are used for interpretation of clinical studies provide satisfactory image quality in terms of uniformity and spatial resolution.

Overall System Performance for SPECT Systems - Performed to quantitatively verify that SPECT systems provide satisfactory tomographic uniformity, contrast, and spatial resolution.

System Interlocks - Performed to verify that all system interlocks are operating as designed and that the system is safe and reliable for the nuclear medicine technologist to operate and for imaging patients.

Dose Calibrators - Performed annually to verify that readings from this instrument are accurate (accuracy test). All basic measurements of performance must be done at the time of installation and repeated after major repair. This test must be done according to protocols accepted by the appropriate state regulatory agencies or the NRC.

Thyroid Uptake and Counting Systems - Performed to verify energy calibration, energy linearity, energy resolution, sensitivity, and reliability (Chi-squared test) for the measurement of organ function and the assay of patient samples.

Additional support as necessary - to optimize image quality and patient care for the NMS and facilitate accomplishing the mission of VANTHCS. This includes, but is not limited to, Physical Condition/Assessment of Hardware, Background Activity Check, Reconstructed Uniformity, Low Contrast Resolution, Reconstructed Spatial Resolution, and Acquisition Monitor Performance Evaluation.

IV. Qualifications. Prior to commencing work all Contractor employees shall meet certain criteria to perform work under this contract as a Medical Physicist.

2.2 The Contractor Diagnostic Medical Physicist shall meet the following education, experience, certification, and qualification standards:

Hold a Masters Degree in Medical Physics.

American Board of Radiology Board Certification in Radiologic Physics

American Board of Radiology Board Certification in Nuclear Medicine Physics

American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine

Meet all NRC, ACR, FDA and Joint Commission requirements for a qualified medical physicist.

All Texas Department of State Health Services, Radiation Control Regulations, and certifications

Current recommendations of the NCRP and AAMP on medical imaging facility design and shielding, All current NRC regulations

Current techniques for the calibration and testing of diagnostic x-ray equipment.