SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Afterhours Answering Service
- Notice Date
- 8/29/2012
- Notice Type
- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
- NAICS
- 561421
— Telephone Answering Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of the Air Force, Air Combat Command, 99 CONS, 5865 Swaab Blvd, Nellis AFB, Nevada, 89191-7063, United States
- ZIP Code
- 89191-7063
- Solicitation Number
- F3G4BANSWRSERVICE
- Archive Date
- 9/25/2012
- Point of Contact
- Stephen M. Colton, Phone: 702-652-6005
- E-Mail Address
-
Stephen.Colton@nellis.af.mil
(Stephen.Colton@nellis.af.mil)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR 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. SOLICITATION #: F3G4BANSWRSERVICE This combined synopsis/solicitation is issued as a Request For Quotes. A Firm Fixed Price type contract will be awarded. The solicitation and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-60 Effective 27 August 2012. This combined synopsis/solicitation is being issued as a 100% Small Business Set Aside. NAICS: 561421. The Government requires an after hours answering service. The PWS (Performance Work Statement), below, details the work to be performed. The Government requires service for one base year and three option years. The contractor will provide a quote for the following CLINS: CLIN Description Qty. Monthly Price Total Annual Price 0001 The contractor is to provide a 12MO telephone answering service in accordance with the PWS. 1001 The contractor is to provide a 12MO telephone answering service in accordance with the PWS. 2001 The contractor is to provide a 12MO telephone answering service in accordance with the PWS. CLIN Description 3001 The contractor is to provide a 12MO telephone answering service in accordance with the PWS. Total 5 Year Price: PWS (PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT) 1.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES 1.1 This requirement is for an after-hours answering service for Mike O'Callaghan Federal Medical Center (MOFMC). This service will provide all personnel, labor, materials, equipment, location and phone line(s) at a non-Government location. 1.2 Utilize telephone operators to provide a timely answering service for Defense Enrollment Reporting Systems (DEERS) eligible beneficiaries who are enrolled at the requesting location. The contractor shall provide efficient guidelines to meet the answering service requirements. This includes, but is not limited to, timely answering of incoming calls, voice recording, documenting and tracking of calls (incoming, provider contact, and provider response). 1.3 The answering Service will be utilized by eligible beneficiaries who have a symptom-based concern and wish to discuss it with an on-call MTF (Military Treatment Facility) provider during non-duty hours as an alternative to reporting to the Emergency Department or waiting until the next duty day. The telephone operators will answer the after-hours calls, record the patient demographic information and reason for the call /concern and then contact the appropriate on-call provider based on MTF guidelines. The MTF on-call provider will be paged according to the Government published on-call schedules available at www.amion.com and per the process and time standards outlined below. The operator will provide the call information to the on-call provider. The Government will maintain the documentation requirements for the telephone consultation in the Government computer systems (Composite Healthcare System/ Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application). The phone number(s) for after hour provider contact is marked on the Medical Group's Care Line. 1.4 The volume, demand and clinics using the services vary by seasonality. Specific seasonality estimates will be provided and will include: current eligible population (Active Duty, TRICARE Prime Enrollees, TRICARE Plus Enrollees, NATO members) that may use services as well as all historical workload estimates (See addendum A), and clinics utilizing the service. a. The Contractor shall be compliant with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules and regulations. b. Since protected health information and privacy act data is used or transmitted outside the Government Facility, the Contractor shall follow HIPAA guidelines for physical and electronic safeguarding of information. Under no circumstance may any patient data be transferred or recorded outside the United States. c. Hours of Operation / Federal Holidays. As a minimum, the after-hours Answering Service shall be available to enrolled beneficiaries Monday through Friday, non-duty hours (1600-0630) and 24 hours a day on weekends and Federal Holidays, military-designated family days, specified training days, inclement weather closures, and other announced down days (Approximately 20 days). See Addendum B for historical down days for 2011. d. The MTF will submit military down days to the Contractor 14 days prior to down days or as soon as notification from command is received. For unplanned closures due to weather, natural disaster or other significant military contingency, the MTF will notify the Contractor as early as possible for coverage. e. The Contractor shall provide services for the Federal Holidays listed below: i. New Year's Day ii. Martin Luther King's Jr. Day (observed the third Monday in January) iii. President's Day iv. Memorial Day v. Independence Day vi. Labor Day vii. Columbus Day viii. Veteran's Day ix. Thanksgiving Day x. Christmas Day 2.0 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS: 2.1 The Contractor shall provide operational location(s) to include a complete address (es) for the answering service site(s) (including sub-contractor site(s)) as part of their model. a. The Contractor shall provide a toll free telephone line/number(s) to the requesting location. The contractor shall outline the phone system and the number of available lines in detail. The Government will either transfer the calls to the phone line or market the toll-free telephone number on the MTF after-hours voice message. b. The contractor shall be responsible for installation, maintenance, and costs associated with their own telephone lines. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to have a backup system in place for equipment failures and staffing shortfalls. c. Minimum qualifications of telephone operator personnel are listed below and may be included in the attached addendum: i. Must have at least six months experience in medical office or answering service. Experience must be in administrative capacity and include direct patient contact and customer service. ii. Must have basic knowledge level to include; principles of customer service for cal1 answering and referral service and HIPAA guidelines for release of medical information. iii. Medical Terminology is desired iv. Must possess excellent oral and written communication skills and interpersonal skills. v. Other Proposed Staff Members. If other staff positions are proposed, the Contractor shall provide complete education and experience requirements as well as duties to be performed by the employee. vi. The Contractor shall provide the title and phone number for a point of contact to receive provider-on-call schedules from the MTF and to use whenever a change is needed. 3. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED ITEMS: a. The Government will be responsible for the development and issuance of On-Call Provider Rosters for each clinic using the service. An on-call Roster for the following month for each clinic utilizing services will be given to the Contractor by the 25th of each month. Required updates are expected and will be provided to the Contractor as soon as possible. b. The Government will provide a roster of other designated points of contact to reach during normal duty hours so that urgent problems can be immediately addressed. The listing will include a primary and alternate contact person. Required updates are expected and will be provided to the Contractor as necessary. 4. ON CALL ANSWERING SERVICE PROCESS: a. The Contract personnel shall use a Government provided predetermined personalized answering greeting when answering calls for MOFMC patients. b. For symptom-based calls, the Contractor shall obtain the following information from the caller: i. Name of caller ii. Name of patient (if different) iii.The sponsor's social security number iv.Phone number to reach the caller v. Provider or Clinic to which patient is enrolled vi.A short description of the symptoms to relay to the on-call provider c. The Contractor shall inform the caller that the provider should call within 30 minutes; and shall instruct the caller to call the Answering Service again in the event the provider does not call within one hour from the initial call. d. The telephone operator shall immediately page the proper on-call provider. i. Contact guidelines: Enrollees: The first routing for the provider shall be the patient's enrolled clinic. For example, if the patient is enrolled to an Internal Medicine provider, Internal Medicine on-call provider shall be paged. Non-Enrollees: If the patient is not a TRICARE Enrollee at the MOFMC, the Contactor shall refer the caller to their Primary Care Manager. The MTF's on-call providers cannot provide after-hours service to non-enrolled TRICARE beneficiaries. Enrollment Status Unknown: If the patient does not know who they are enrolled with, the Contractor shall contact the Family Health Clinic on-call provider. ii. Notification Process: 1. The Contractor shall contact the on-call provider's pager first. The Government shall provide a pager number (and access code) on the on-call rosters. 2. If no response is received in approximately 10 minutes, the Contractor shall cal the provider's listed home or cell phone number. 3. If there is no response, the Contractor shall not leave a message on voice mail. The Contractor shall call the next person (if one is available) on the call list and repeat the above steps of the process. If no on-call provider returns a call, The Contractor shall document attempts to contact the on-call provider and the Contractor shall report it the next duty day to the MOFMC designee. 4. When the on-call provider calls the Contractor, the Contractor shall provide them all information required in para 5.b of this performance work statement. The Contractor shall not, under any circumstances, refer or directly connect the patient to the on-call provider. 5. For calls pertaining to appointment times or request for prescription refills or test results, the Contractor shall respond: "The on-call provider does not have access to the appointment system, computerized pharmacy or laboratory systems needed to fulfill your request. For this information you will need to call the appointment line during normal duty hours (0630-1600)." 5. PRODUCTIVITY MONITORING AND QUALUTY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: a. The Contractor shall submit a written daily report of all calls to the MTF no later than 1100 daily Monday through Friday. b. The Contractor shall have internal controls in place for quality assurance and shall provide a quality control program to the MOFMC within 15 days after contract award. Services Summary Performance Objective PWS Threshold Daily report submitted 5.a. 90% of days and 98% are submitted no later than 1100. Appendix A HISTORICAL WORKLOAD Monthly calls transferred to the answering service approximately 350 Total Enrollment for MOFMC is 47,200 Forecasted Enrollment Growth to 50,000 by 2013 Appendix B HISTORICAL GOVERNMENT DOWN DAYS FOR 2011 25 May 31 Aug 23 Nov 24 Dec 31 Dec On training days phone lines will open at 1000. Training days occur the second Thursday of every month. FAR Clauses And Provisions The following FAR clauses and provisions cited are applicable to this acquisition:FAR 52.204-7 - Central Contract Registration FAR 52.212-1 - Instructions to Offerors applies to this acquisition Provision Addenda: All quotes shall include the following minimum information. All quotes shall be provided in the above format. The sum total of each CLIN shall be provided. The sum total of all CLINS shall be provided. All offerors will submit, with their quote, an outline of their proposed phone systen and number of available lines as stated in 2.1a. The contractor shall provide written technical summary, not to exceed one page in length. The summary must demonstrate the offeror's understanding of the requirement. This summary should not simply rephrase orr restate the Government's requirement. The summary shall provide convincing rationale on how the offeror intends to meet the Government's requirement.. IAW FAR 52.204-7and DFARS 252.207-7004 Alt A, prospective vendors must be registered in the CCR database prior to contract award. Lack of CCR registration will make a prospective vendor ineligible for contract award. Prospective vendors should visit the CCR website at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM to register. FAR 52.212-2 - Evaluation - Commercial Items: The evaluation of quotes and award of the contract will be based on LPTA (Lowest Price Technically Acceptable). Award will be made to the offeror with the lowest price and whose outline and written technical summary demonstrates understanding of the requirement. Note: The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options, including both the 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services and the 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract, 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). FAR 52.212-3 - Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items: An offeror shall complete only paragraph (b) of this provision if the offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. If an offeror has not completed the annual representations and certifications electronically at the ORCA website, the offeror shall complete only paragraphs (c) through (m) of this provision and must submit these paragraphs with their proposal. FAR 52.212-4 - Terms and Condition - Commercial applies to this acquisition. FAR 52.212-5 - Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items applies to this acquisition. The following FAR clauses cited are applicable to this acquisition: FAR 52.217-5- Evaluation Of Options; 52.217-8- Option To Extend Services; 52.217-9-Option To Extend The Term Of The Contract; FAR 52.219-6 - Notice Of Total Small Business Set Aside; 52.219-28-Post Award Small Business Program Representation; 52.222-3-Convict Labor; 52.222-19-Child Labor; 52.222-21- Prohibition Of Segregated Facilities; 52.222-26-Equal Opportunity; 52.222-41-Service Contract Act Of 1965; 52.222-42-Statement of Equivalent Rates For Federal Hires; 52.222-43- Fair Labor Standards and Service Contract Act - Price Adjustment (Multiple Year And Option Contracts); 52.222-50-Combating Trafficking In Persons; Buy American Act-Free Trade Agreement- Israeli Trade Act;52.232-1-Payments;52.232-18 Availability Of Funds; 52.232-33- Payment By Electronic Funds Transfer - Central Contract Registration;52.233-1-Disputes; 52.233-2-Service Of Protest; 52.233-4 - Applicable Law Breach Of Contract Claim;52.237-2 Protection Of Government Buildings, Equipment and Vegetation; 52.222-49-Service Contract Act-Place Of Performance Unknown: (a) This contract is subject to the Service Contract Act, and the place of performance was unknown when the solicitation was issued. In addition to places or areas identified in wage determinations, if any, attached to the solicitation, wage determinations have also been requested for the following: None. The Contracting Officer will request wage determinations for additional places or areas of performance if asked to do so in writing by 05 September 2012. (b) Offerors who intend to perform in a place or area of performance for which a wage determination has not been attached or requested may nevertheless submit bids or proposals. However, a wage determination shall be requested and incorporated in the resultant contract retroactive to the date of contract award, and there shall be no adjustment in the contract price. The following DFARS clauses cited are applicable to this acquisition: DFARS 252.204-7003- Control of Government Personnel Work Product DFARS: 252.225-7001, 252.247-7023 Alt III 252.212-7001 - Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Applicable to Defense Acquisitions of Commercial Items applies to this acquisition;252.225-7002-Qualifying Country Sources As Subcontractors; 252.243-7001-Pricing Of Contract Modifications. The following AFFARS clauses cited are applicable to this acquisition: All responsible sources may submit a quotation which shall be considered. Quotations may be emailed to stephen.colton@nellis.af.mil no later than Monday 10 September 2012 4:00 PM PST.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/ACC/99CONS/F3G4BANSWRSERVICE/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: To be determined., United States
- Record
- SN02860164-W 20120831/120829235638-b2fd8764ede2376e8657d6ef12ad361b (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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