United States - Audiologist

Description

Added: Sep 12, 2019 11:16 am

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The procurement is being conducted pursuant to the authority of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures; FAR Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items (41 U.S.C. 1906, 1907 and 3307); and FAR 37.101, Non Personal Services Contract. The Billings Area Indian Health Service (IHS) intends to award a fixed-price commercial item contract in response to Request for Quotation (RFQ) 06-19-003-CJY. The solicitation is restricted to 100% Small Business concerns. The solicitation documents and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2019-06. The associated North American Industry Classification System code is 621340 and the small business size standard is $8.0 million.

Offers should be submitted for the base year and each subsequent option year. The proposed daily rates must be inclusive of transportation, food, lodging, insurance, taxes, et cetera.

PRICE SCHEDULE: AUDIOLOGIST FOR NORTHERN CHEYENNE SERVICE UNIT

Base Year: 24 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

Option Item: 10 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

TOTAL: $______________

Option Year One: 24 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

Option Item: 10 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

TOTAL: $______________

Option Year Two: 24 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

Option Item: 10 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

TOTAL: $______________

Option Year Three: 24 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

Option Item: 10 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

TOTAL: $______________

Option Year Four: 24 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

Option Item: 10 DAYS @ $____________ per day = $______________

TOTAL: $______________

GRAND TOTAL: $______________

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Performance of this contract shall be for twelve (12) months from October 01, 2019, through September 30, 2020, with four (4) 12-month options.

If the Government exercises the options pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.217-9, Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000), the period of performance shall be extended in accordance with the following schedule:

Option Year One (1):  October 01, 2020 - September 30, 2021
Option Year Two (2):  October 01, 2021 - September 30, 2022
Option Year Three (3):  October 01, 2022 - September 30, 2023
Option Year Four (4):  October 01, 2023 - September 30, 2024

BACKGROUND: The Northern Cheyenne Service Unit (NCSU) is an Indian Health Center that provides healthcare services to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.

OBJECTIVE / DELIVERABLES: Provide direct diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology services to patients of all ages (newborn, infant, child, adolescent, adult, elder, et cetera.) at the Service Unit. Responsible for the selection, provision and interpretation of comprehensive audiologic evaluations. Provide audiologic rehabilitation services. Participate in the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program. Maintain inventory and accessories needed for hearing aid services. Properly document all services provided in the Electronic Health Record. Maintain inventory and calibration of audiologic equipment.

STATEMENT OF WORK: This contract position functions as an Audiologist in the Outpatient Clinic. The purpose of the contract position is to provide direct diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology services to patients of all ages (newborn, infant, child, adolescent, adult, elder, etc.) and with a variety of acute and chronic health needs. Responsible for the selection, provision and interpretation of comprehensive audiologic evaluations to include, but not limited to, the following: Air and bone conducting testing; Otoacoustic Emissions testing; Soundfield testing; Play Audiometry; and other Site-of-Lesion tests. Provides comprehensive audiologic rehabilitation services to include: Hearing aid evaluations; Hearing aid orientations; Aural rehabilitation; hearing aid fittings and follow-ups; counseling the hearing impaired person, his/her family and other pertinent persons to help alleviate the effects of the hearing impairment. Upon request and approval the Audiologist will participate in the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Program by providing training for the nurses, reporting data to the State of Montana, scheduling re-screenings and appropriate referrals for further diagnostic evaluations. Responsible for maintaining inventory and accessories needed to provide a fully functioning hearing aid practice at the Service Unit. Provide necessary paperwork to the Service Unit such as hearing aid/ repairs, ear mold order forms, requesting hearing aid supplies and complete a "Hearing Aid File" card on each hearing aid dispensed. Properly record audiology services in the patients Electronic Health Record (EHR) to assess audiology needs and provide the required audiology care. Maintain inventory and calibration of audiologic equipment. Establish hearing conservation programs, in-service training to nurses, physicians and other appropriate staff; such as Maintenance and Dental Department staff, when necessary. Offers must be all inclusive for travel, lodging, per diem, et cetera. Lodging for contractors may be available across the street from the facility at a rate of $15.00/night. The regular hourly rate will be the same for regular hours, overtime and holidays.

STANDARD REQUIREMENTS: Providing Audiology services requires a comprehensive, complex range of professional competencies from prompt, decisive assessments of a wide variety of special patient conditions, to operating special equipment, and responding to urgent situations without delay. The audiologist solves the majority of problems independently and oversees the full scope of audiology care/services. All work must be to the level of acceptance as set out by local and national standards of care, by-laws, licensing/accrediting agencies.

WORKFORCE REQUIREMENTS: Knowledge of established professional audiologic concepts, principles, and practices; and otologic diseases necessary to assess the extent of a hearing disorder and its effect upon communication, health, vocation and socialization for appropriate treatment or referral. Knowledge of Communication Disorders Program policies and practices as well as cultural, social and economic characteristics of the native population relative to adapting, redesigning or modifying audiology principles to the varied population. Knowledge of the relative value for audiologic evaluations and the principles and practices that govern the evaluations to serve as technical authority, expert advice and direction about the audiological aspects of the health care delivery system. Knowledge of the current VA hearing aids on contract, standards and advances in hearing aid fittings, earmold modifications, frequency response, and other electro-aucustics modifications. Knowledge of aural rehabilitation procedures to provide appropriate amplification and counseling to the hearing impaired. Also familiar with ANSI standards of calibration. Knowledge of Privacy Act and HIPAA regulations of patient confidentiality. Skills in oral and written communication to maintain effective working relationships as the Service Units, Billings Area Office, Tribal personnel, vendors, contractors and other Federal, State and local agencies. Must possess and maintain a current state license and AAA or doctorate degree.

ASSUMPTIONS:

Access to Buildings: It shall be the Contractor's responsibility, through the Director of Nursing, to obtain access to buildings and facilities and arrange for them to be opened and closed.

Licenses: The Contractor shall, without additional expense to the Government, obtain all licenses required for the completion of the work. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Evidence of such licenses shall be provided to the Service Unit before work commences. The provider is required to complete all requirements for the credentialing/privileging process.

Scheduling of patients: The Contractor shall work with the Service Unit staff to coordinate the dates/times services will be provided to ensure the schedule is prepared in advance and patients are scheduled. A clinic day will be considered 4-8 hours in length with a minimum of 12 patients scheduled per clinic. The Contractor will provide two clinics per month with the option to add 10 additional clinics per year depending on case load. The optional clinic days will be 4-8 hours in length with a minimum of 12 patients scheduled per clinic.

Coordination of care: The Contractor shall coordinate follow up care/visits with the patient. Any outside referrals will be followed up on to ensure continuity of care. Highly unusual problems will be reported to the patients Primary Care Provider or the Director of Nursing.

GENERAL QUALITY ASSURANCE: All visits provided by the Contractor will be reviewed by the Health Information Management (HIM) staff and the billing department to ensure complete, accurate and billable documentation is completed. Chart/Peer review will be completed on a quarterly basis to ensure quality of care standards are met. Peer review will be done by a like provider. The frequency and number of peer reviews to be completed will be determined by the Service Unit Peer Review Policy. Peer reviews will be submitted to the Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement Officer. Review of statistics such as the number of patients seen per clinic will be reviewed on a regular basis.

SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS: Contractors cannot serve as expert witnesses in any suit against the Federal Government. Many of the IHS patients receiving services may only speak a native language and/or reside on a Native American Reservation, therefore, the Contractor must demonstrate sensitivity to cross-cultural and language differences. The Privacy Act of 1974 mandates that the Contractor maintain complete confidentiality of all administrative, medical and personnel records, and all other pertinent information that comes to his/her attention or knowledge. The Privacy Act carries both civil and criminal penalties for unlawful disclosure of records. Violation of such confidentiality shall be cause for adverse action. All IHS regulations and policies applicable to these Acts shall be enforced.

COMPUTER SECURITY: Pursuant to the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA), the contractor will be required to complete a course in Computer Security Awareness Training (CSAT). This training must be completed annually by all employees including contractors, volunteers, students, and summer externs. The Contractor will be required to comply with the Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) Number 201, "Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors," and the associated Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementation guidance for personal identity verification for all affected contractor and subcontractor personnel. Access/clearance to all pertinent computer systems, including completing the Security Checklist, Rules of Behavior form, Security training; and if necessary, a Business Associate Agreement and/or Business Partner Interconnection Security Agreement (BPISA), should be coordinated with the Service Unit.

CONTRACTING OFFICER AUTHORITY: Authority to negotiate changes in the terms, conditions or amounts cited in this contract is reserved for the Contracting Officer.

CONTRACTING OFFICER'S REPRESENTATIVE: The COR shall be responsible for: (1) Monitoring the Contractor's technical progress, including surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending technical changes; (2) Interpreting the Statement of Work; (3) Technical evaluation as required; (4) Technical inspections and acceptance; and (5) Assisting the Contractor in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance of this contract.

INVOICE SUBMISSION AND PAYMENT: The Contractor shall submit its invoice to the Northern Cheyenne Service Unit, Attn: Mardell Nichols, D.O.N., 420 North Cheyenne Avenue, Lame Deer, Montana 59043, or email to: mardell.nichols@ihs.gov with a courtesy copy to the Billings Area Financial Management Office.

The Contractor agrees to include the following information on each invoice:

(1) Contractor's name and address;
(2) Contact name, title, and telephone number;
(3) Contract Number;
(4) Invoice number and date;
(5) Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of supplies delivered or services performed;
(6) Remit to Address;
(7) Taxpayer Identification Number (Employer Identification Number or Social Security Number); and
(8) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (to ensure payment is made to the correct bank account) and vendor mailing address, as provided in the System for Award Management (SAM), database.

Payment shall be made by the Billings Area Financial Management Branch, P.O. Box 36600, Billings, Montana 59107. Payments are made in arrears.

PRO-CHILDREN ACT OF 1994: The Contractor certifies that it will comply with the provisions of Public Law 103-227, Pro-Children Act of 1994, which imposes restrictions on smoking where federally funded children's services are provided.

CHILD CARE NATIONAL AGENCY CHECK AND INVESTIGATION (CNACI). A Tier 2 with Child Care Check must be completed for all Indian Health Service (IHS) contractor personnel within the Billings Area. Public Law (P.L.) 101-630, Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act and P.L. 101-647, Crime Control Act of 1990, requires the IHS to conduct a character and criminal history check on all contractors performing services in an Indian Health Service (IHS) facility. The character and background investigation will be initiated by the IHS, Northern Cheyenne Service Unit and conducted through the Office of Personnel Management, National Background Investigations Bureau. Electronic fingerprints and hard copy fingerprints are required as part of the pre-employment process and must be completed prior to the contractor performing services for the IHS. Tier 2 (with a Subject Interview) rates are as follows: Standard-$1,550.00, Priority-$1,674.00.

PROVISIONS AND CLAUSES: The following provisions and clauses apply to this acquisition. The FAR provision 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items and 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items are incorporated by reference. The provision at 52.212-2 applies to this acquisition and is provided in full text.

FAR 52.212-2, EVALUATION - COMMERCIAL ITEMS (OCT 2014): (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered.

The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers:

(1) CURRENT, UNRESTRICTED LICENSE: Potential contractors must submit a copy of Audiology license.

(2) RESUME: Potential contractors must submit a resume. The resume must include information relating to: (a) Professional Education; (b) Certifications; and (c) Previous jobs.

(3) COMPANY PAST PERFORMANCE: Offerors must demonstrate experience through Government and/or commercial contracts by furnishing a minimum of three (3) references.

Technical and past performance, when combined, are approximately equal to cost or price. (b) Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award.

The following FAR and Health and Human Services Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR) clauses are applicable: 52.204-7, 52.204-9, 52.204-13, 52.204-16, 52.204-17, 52.204-18, 52.204-19, 52.212-4, 52.212-5, 52.215-5, 52.217-8, 52.217-9, 52.223-5, 52.223-6, 52.224-1, 52.224-2, 52.225-25, 52.227-14, 52.227-17, 52.228-5, 52.232-18, 52.232-39, 52.232-40, 52.237-2, 52.237-3, 52.242-15, 52.242-17, 52.244-6, 52.245-1, 52.245-9, 352.215-70, 352.222-70, 352.223-70, 352.224-70, 352.224-71, 352.226-1, 352.226-2, 352.226-3, 352.227-70, 352.237-70, 352.237-71, 352.237-72, 352.237-73, 352.237-74, 352.239-73 and 352.239-74. The following FAR clauses cited in 52.212-5 are applicable to the acquisition: 52.203-6 with Alternate I, 52.204-10, 52.209-6, 52.209-10, 52.219-6, 52.219-8, 52.219-28, 52.222-3, 52.222-17, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-40, 52.222-41, 52.222-42, 52.222-43, 52.222-50, 52.222-53, 52.222-54, 52.222-55, 52.223-18, 52.225-13 and 52.232-33. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will provide full text copies of the FAR and HHSAR provisions and clauses. The provisions and clauses may also be accessed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/ and https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/hhsar/index.html.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: The Contractor shall provide evidence of, or submit a written response to, the technical evaluation factors in FAR 52.212-2. Contractors intending to conduct business with the Federal Government must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is the primary Government repository, which retains information on Government contractors. You may register via the Internet at https://sam.gov/SAM/. All responsible offerors may submit a proposal, which shall be considered by the Agency. Offers shall be submitted to the Billings Area Indian Health Service, 2900 Fourth Avenue North, Room 403, Billings, Montana 59101, no later than 2:00 p.m. on September 23, 2019. The offer must be submitted in a sealed envelope, addressed to this office, showing the time specified for receipt, the solicitation number, and your name and address. Offers will also be accepted by e-mail at Rita.Langager@ihs.gov or by fax at (406) 247-7108.

ACCEPTANCE PERIOD: Your proposal must stipulate that it is predicated upon all the terms and conditions of this RFQ. In addition, it must contain a statement to the effect that it is firm for a period of at least 90 days from the date of receipt by the Government.

Opportunity closing date

23 September 2019

Value of contract

to be confirmed