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FBO DAILY ISSUE OF MAY 22, 2011 FBO #3466
DOCUMENT

70 -- Real Time Location System (RTLS) Charleston CMOP - Attachment

Notice Date

5/20/2011
 

Notice Type

Attachment
 

NAICS

334119 — Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing
 

Contracting Office

Department of Veterans Affairs;VISN 7 Network Contracting Activity;501 Greene Street;Hatcher Building - Suite 2;Augusta GA 30901
 

ZIP Code

30901
 

Solicitation Number

VA24711RI0231
 

Response Due

5/31/2011
 

Archive Date

7/30/2011
 

Point of Contact

Juan A. Jusino
 

E-Mail Address

478)274-5771<br
 

Small Business Set-Aside

N/A
 

Description

Introduction This Request for Information (RFI) is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The purpose of this RFI is to identify qualified sources able to meet VA requirements, to assist in planning possible future technical requirements, determine the appropriate acquisition strategy, and understand commercial pricing practices and other market information readily available. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Any contract that might be awarded based on information received or derived from this RFI will be the outcome of the competitive process. Telephone inquiries and responses will not be accepted at this time since there is no further information available. This announcement is based upon the best information available and is subject to future modification. VA will not be responsible for any costs incurred by responding to this RFI. VA is not seeking elaborate oral presentations in response to this RFI, nor should the written response be any more than informational. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the VA is looking for sources able to provide a solution for a Real Time Location System (RTLS) at our Charleston, SC Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) location. The VA understands the breadth and depth of the desired RTLS solution and is looking to determine the ability of industry to provide a solution. Overview In 1946, the VA became the first organization in the United States to provide medications for its patients using a mail delivery service through individual VA medical centers. During the 1970s and 1980s, consolidation of mail prescription workloads from multiple VA medical centers into central operations was initiated on a limited basis. In 1994, the Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) at Leavenworth, Kansas began the processing of high volume mail prescription workloads using an integrated, automated dispensing system. Since that time the VA has expanded the program to include a total of seven (7) CMOP facilities located at Leavenworth, KS; Tucson, AZ ; Chelmsford (Boston), MA; Dallas, TX; Murfreesboro (Nashville), TN; Hines (Chicago), IL; and Charleston, SC which process total nationwide workloads exceeding one hundred (100) million prescriptions annually. The Charleston CMOP has contracted and VA staff of approximately 300. It completes roughly 110,000 prescriptions per day, five days a week, and totaling 25 million per year. Patients are provided care by the VA medical centers or clinics with new or emergent prescriptions being dispensed directly from that medical center or clinic. Refill prescription requests or continuation of therapy prescription requests are received and processed at the individual VA sites on a daily basis. The CMOP processes prescriptions based upon the electronic dispensing data downloaded from VA medical centers and outpatient clinics nationwide, dispenses the pharmaceuticals or products as determined by the participating site, delivers the completed prescriptions directly to the patient by mail or other carrier and returns the electronic dispensing data to the participating medical center or clinic. The CMOP function is transparent to the patient. Patients contact the medical center or clinic directly if there are any questions or problems, and resolution is accomplished by the participating site in coordination with the CMOP. The CMOP serves each participating VA medical center or outpatient clinic as an integrated extension of each of those sites and has been a vehicle of change in the standardization of drug nomenclature, the standardization of dispensing units, and the standardization of pharmaceutical product and medical supply selection. The normal processing time for an order at the CMOP is less than two (2) days with mail delivery typically requiring less than three days. The Charleston CMOP seeks a turnkey, integrated RTLS to be deployed in its facility. The purpose is to improve the efficiency of certain business processes in this location. The CMOP has identified the following needs for the RTLS solution: "Provide the facility with the real-time capability to actively track critical assets and staff "Monitor temperature The Charleston CMOP goals for the RTLS solution are to: oImprove Operational efficiency oDecrease operational costs oMaximize equipment utilization oIncrease staff productivity oReduce delays in processing oMinimize lost and misplaced items oIncrease staff safety Requirements The Charleston CMOP needs to identify, as part of our market research, sources capable and interested in providing a RTLS for the purpose of tracking assets and staff, among other possible uses to be determined in the future. In addition, environmental monitoring such as temperature will be required. The CMOP is also interested in the ability of a single source to support multiple technologies for deployment (using existing wireless infrastructure) and the ability to use other tags (such as passive RFID) and technologies to meet specifications and specialized needs. The RTLS system must also be capable of exchanging data with VA information systems. For the purposes of this RFI, the CMOP has defined the following space areas. Please consider all of these areas when responding to relevant questions. BuildingA free-standing structure FloorAn entire level in a building ZoneA defined area on a floor: multiple spaces RoomSmaller unit on a floor / zone. Has a defined entrance / exit point. Individual Work VicinityA designated area within a room or Zone. The Charleston CMOP currently utilizes an 802.11.g Air Fortress Infrastructure. It is not currently designed for an RTLS solution and may need to upgraded or enhanced if the RTLS solution utilizes 802.11 technologies. The Facility is a single building with 78,000 sq ft, of which 60,000 is open space in a warehouse type fashion. There is a large conveyor assembly line than runs through the building. It is expected that Zones will be able to be configured within this open space for narrowing down location of tagged items to within ten (10) feet. In addition, many assets are located in the ceiling of this building which is approximately thirteen (13) ft from ground level. The range of RTLS capabilities with which the CMOP wishes to begin deployment, shall include but are not limited to the following: A.Asset Tracking Capability - Provide CMOP staff with the capability to locate portable assets used throughout the facility to support the delivery of services. Varying levels of location resolution should be offered to meet site specific requirements from building level of discrimination to more discrete individual work vicinity discrimination in real time. Approximately, 2000 assets have been identified that will require tracking. B.Automated Temperature Capability - Provide real time temperature monitoring for refrigerated areas that store pharmaceuticals, food, and other items at specified temperatures. The system can monitor and record temperatures at predetermined time intervals and immediately report any temperature anomalies based on configured thresholds. Approximately, thirty (30) assets will require tagging with a NIST Temperature Probe. C.Business Process Workflow - Track facility staff and mobile carts with the objective of monitoring business activities with the goal is to improve workflow through analysis of the monitoring data provided by the RTLS. Approximately three hundred (300) staff and fifty (50) carts will be tagged. D.Technical Engineering Services - Required services may include Radio Frequency Site Survey, WiFi network re-engineering or enhancements, Software Configuration; Upgrades and Updates to all delivered software; Technical Engineering Services (Installation, De-installation, Relocation of RTLS components), System Integration; RTLS Implementation Support; Software Development Services; Maintenance, Warranty and Training. Solutions shall integrate all technology to provide a transparent solution to the user. Attachment A to this document provides descriptions of example Use Cases for RTLS deployment to assist with detailing how the CMOP will utilize the technology. Technical Capabilities Statement: In response to the RFI, interested contractors shall submit the following information. VA is more interested in obtaining valuable market research information than in the submission of an elaborate, visually appealing presentation. 1.Company Information/Socio-Economic Status - a.Provide the company size, the Contractor and Government Entity (CAGE) code, and the POC information (name, email address, telephone, and fax numbers). b.Indicate whether your company, subcontractors, teaming partners, or joint ventures have a Federal Socio-Economic status, e.g., Small Business, Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran Owned Small Business, Woman-Owned Small Business, Disadvantaged Small Business, and Hub Zone. If Service-Disabled or Veteran Owned Small Business, is your company and or partner(s) registered in VA's VetBiz repository? 2.Background/Past Experience - Provide the following information on a maximum of three similar projects in a healthcare environment completed within the last three years for which the responder was a prime or subcontractor. a.The name, address, and value of each project b.The Prime Contract Type: Firm Fixed-Price, Cost Reimbursement or Time and Material c.The name, telephone and address of the owner of each project d.A brief description of each project, including difficulties and successes e.Your company's role and services provided for each project. 3.Capabilities/Qualifications - Overview of proposed solution(s). a.Include a description of the capabilities/qualifications/skills your company possesses to perform the work as described in sections A-D above and attachment A, to include b.A brief description of your solution that will address the use cases described in Attachment A c.Details on the following topics: types of tags that will be provided, type of infrastructure to be provided and/or how existing infrastructure will be used d.A description of middleware functionality e.A description of RTLS-enabled soap dispenser f.Tags that will be used on immobile assets, mobile assets, and staff g.System's capabilities to interface with enterprise system 4.Teaming Arrangements - Description of Teaming Partners, Joint Ventures that your company would consider to perform the work. 5.Price information - Provide your commercial price history and rough order of magnitude for the same or similar products/solutions. 6.Other Market Information - Provide any other relative information, however this information must be included within the 12 page limitation. 7.Other Federal Experience - Identify the federal contract vehicles to which you are party. SPECIFIC RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: Please submit your response to this RFI in accordance with the following: 1) No more than 12 pages (excluding transmittal page). Include the name, email address and phone number of the appropriate representative of your company; 2) Address each of the 7 sections described above; 3) Submit your response via email to Juan A. Jusino at juan.jusino@va.gov 4) Submit your response NLT 2:00 PM EST on May 31, 2011; 5) Mark your response as "Proprietary Information" if the information is considered business sensitive. 6) NO MARKETING MATERIALS ARE ALLOWED AS A PART OF THIS RFI. The Government will not review any other data, attachments that are in excess to the 12 pages. ATTACHMENT A: 1.1ASSET MANAGEMENT WORKFLOW USE CASE Use case goal is to track all equipment / assets for purposes of conducting inventory, preventing theft, and finding the assets when needed. Computer laptops, stationary administrative and IT equipment, and stationary equipment shall be tracked through the use of active technology that will prevent theft and allow users to locate equipment for purposes of inventory on an annual basis. System shall have the ability to trigger an external audible, silent alarm and/or security cameras, or other warning alert when an asset is leaving the building or unauthorized location, based on assigned rules. The system will need to log all events and issue an email, pager, telephone call or inter-system message. Location will be updated when it re-enters a new zone or area in the facility. System should have the ability track movement of staff throughout the facility into defined work areas to assist with operational and production flow. System shall have the ability to alert when the tag battery reaches a critical level to ensure continuous monitoring of assets. Tags must be made available that have the ability to send an alert when a tag is tampered with. An alert shall be triggered when a tagged asset enters a non authorized area, based on assigned rules. Reader infrastructure at chokepoints shall not resemble department store or high security chokepoints. They shall be aesthetically appealing and blend in with the general décor of the facility if utilized. System should have the ability to run reports verifying asset locations at any time necessary and support a query method to find a specific asset. 1.2TEMPERATURE MONITORING USE CASE Use case goal is to automate the daily process of validating temperature on refrigerators and freezers that store pharmaceuticals and food. Daily checks need to occur and be documented for temperature and time of day. Alerts / Alarms need to be sent via pager, email and with RTLS System when a temperature goes out of range for a specified amount of time. Reports shall be developed that will detail daily reading, errors, corrective actions, and parties completing corrections. Reports shall be able to be run over a one (1) year period. 1.3STAFF MONITORING USE CASE Beyond monitoring the assets within the CMOP, we wish to monitor staff activities in the following ways: Time accounting for contract staff - the system shall assist in validation of contract staffing invoices by tracking when staff enter and exit facilities. The movement of staff through the facility (i.e. entering and leaving facility, passing through chokepoints) shall be monitored and information shall be stored for a period of three (3) months. 1.4HAND-WASHING VERIFICATION Use case goal is to validate staff hand washing rates. The CMOP facility deploys hand washing stations at all sinks and also at stationary locations throughout the facility via a dispensing station. It is expected that hand washing rates can be monitored as a staff member approaches a hand washing station and deploys a dispensing container. The system would have the capability to monitor the hand washing compliance, i.e., hand hygiene sensing device detects the dispensing of the hand washing product and would communicate via employee badge to record the event. System would monitor the hand sanitizing after rest room use and after scheduled breaks. "The system should detect if the employee washed their hands and for how long did the washing take place. "The system should detect and report if the employee had not washed their hands sufficiently. 1.5EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Use case goal is to track movement of staff throughout the facility to locate staff in emergency situations or when needed to perform certain functions (service assistance, etc). "During a declared emergency, the system should rapidly detect staff locations and monitor their movement to a safe location. "System shall monitor progress of staff movement and provide an alert if specific staff location criteria are not met within a defined time period.
 

Web Link

FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/AuVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA24711RI0231/listing.html)
 

Document(s)

Attachment
 

File Name: VA-247-11-RI-0231 VA-247-11-RI-0231_1.doc (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=202447&FileName=VA-247-11-RI-0231-000.doc)

Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=202447&FileName=VA-247-11-RI-0231-000.doc

 

Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
 

Record

SN02453888-W 20110522/110520235525-bea4bae80bc10ceab244982168bf6659 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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