SOURCES SOUGHT
V -- Travel Management Services
- Notice Date
- 8/3/2006
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 561510
— Travel Agencies
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Office of Administration, 6011 Executive Blvd, Rm 538, Rockville, MD, 20892-7663
- ZIP Code
- 20892-7663
- Solicitation Number
- 263-2006-R-(GJ)-0188
- Response Due
- 8/10/2006
- Archive Date
- 8/25/2006
- Description
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) anticipates a requirement for Travel Management Services for Patients at the Clinical Center Located in Bethesda, MD. NIH is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and technical capability of qualified small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled-veteran-owned small business, HUB Zone small business, or 8(a) firms capable of meeting the below requirements. NIH is seeking above type sources with at least three (3) years experience with a fee-based travel booking system with multiple methods for making reservation including, but not limited to FAX, e-mail, in-person, and telephone. Sources must have at least three (3) years experience with delivering high quality patient travel. The travel contract supporting NIH patients requires provision of on site and highly attentive service tailored to each individual. Sources must have experience providing travel services for patients who are very ill and are often financially, physically, and/or emotionally drained from the burden of illness. Travelers may not have access to or a working knowledge of the internet for electronic ticketing. Traveler?s appointments are changed frequently and often booked at the last minute to accommodate changes in clinical schedules or to admit them if they become ill or are having an unanticipated reaction to medical treatment. Staff must be familiar with patient needs and have special skill in customer service to serve this population of travelers with sensitivity, quality, and efficiency. Sources must have experience in delivering cost effective transportation and related accommodation reservation activity and support quality travel. Sources must demonstrate experience providing booking and reservations of high quality travel and lodging for patients, while achieving appropriate economies through use of GSA negotiated rates. Any resulting contract will establish Performance objectives for the Contractor in the fulfillment of its service requirements and fee reductions will be established for failure to maintain performance standards. Sources shall demonstrate experience with maintaining an on site reservation center. The current staffing and work times are 7 agents, 1 manager, and 1 receptionist, and the hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday- Friday. Sources shall also demonstrate the capability to maintain an off-site centralized location to provide these services as well including telephone, E mail and fax reservation requests, as a backup. Sources must demonstrate experience providing 24-hour/7 days a week staffed toll free number available to travelers to perform emergency itinerary changes. Sources must demonstrate experience with a Computer Reservation System (CRS) which includes GSA contract fares and negotiated rates for hotels and car rentals and have the capability to include other rates set by NIH consistent with federal and NIH travel policy. Sources must demonstrate the capacity to issue electronic tickets to the traveler. Sources shall demonstrate experience and ability to comply with the different rules, policies, and procedures of the different sponsoring institutes including ensuring that the patient is aware of these rules, policies and procedures. Sources shall demonstrate that they have a designated Account Manager to interface with NIH. Sources must demonstrate experience in booking domestic and international travel as well as lodging, car rental, and other services especially oxygen tanks for patient traveler usage. The Source?s proposed staff must be experienced in both government travel and patient travel (The majority of these staff must have at least 3 years experience in both areas). NIH or other research hospital experience should be identified. Sources must demonstrate experience in complying with a Quality Assurance Plan. Sources must be able to provide detailed reports on patient travel including AD-hoc reports within short time frames. Sources must show ability to comply with Clinical Center on-site Contractor requirements including providing for each on-sit patient travel office employee a folder with the required information to be readily available in the onsite patient travel office (Note: This requirement does not apply to offsite employees). Another on-site Clinical Center Contractor requirement is that employees in the onsite patient travel office must ensure that they comply with all applicable federal and state government regulations regarding control of infectious diseases in health care facilities (Note: This requirement does not apply to offsite employees). Sources must demonstrate the financial capacity to handle the below volume of business. In FY 05 patient travel was around $6, 000,000. Around 28,000 tickets were issued for patients only. It must be understood by all sources that reimbursement may not occur by NIH for 90 to 120 days after the contractor has incurred the costs. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INTERESTED FIRMS WITH THE CAPABILITY OF PROVIDING THE REQUIRED SERVICES TO SUBMIT A CAPABILITY STATEMENT FOR DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THIS ANTICIPATED REQUIREMENT WILL BE SET-ASIDE FOR ANY OF THE PROGRAMS IDENTIFIED ABOVE. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 561510 and the size standard is $3,500,000 as measured by total revenues, but excluding funds received in trust for an unaffiliated third party, such as bookings or sales subject to commissions. The commissions received are included as revenue. The Contract type is anticipated to be Fixed Price Indefinite Quantity (FPIQ) with a one-year base period and 3 one-year options. Capability statements must address the requirements listed above and be in sufficient detail to permit evaluation. Capability Statements must also include 1. Contact information, 2. Past Performance data including services provided, Contact information, etc., and 3. Business Type Identification Information on whether your business meets any of the categories mentioned above. Capability statements are due 7 days after publication of this synopsis. Capability Statements must be in writing; FAX or e-mail are considered writing. They must be in FONT size 12 or larger. ANYTHING NOT RECEIVED IN FONT SIZE 12 OR LARGER WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. Capability Statements shall be addressed to the Contracting Officer, Mr. Sanford Cook, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Office of Acquisition (OLAO), 6011 Executive Boulevard, Room 529M, Rockville, MD 20892. The FAX number is (301) 402-3407. Mr. Cook?s e-mail address is SanfordC@OD.NIH.GOV. His telephone number is (301) 402-5583. E-mail responses are preferred, but not required. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes and is not to be considered a commitment by the Government. A determination by the Government not to issue this requirement as a set-aside based on responses submitted is solely within the discretion of the Government.
- Place of Performance
- Address: National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Country: UNITED STATES
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN01105186-W 20060805/060803220449 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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