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PRICE/COST SCHEDULEUnder the authority of Public Law 104-262 and 38 USC 8153, the contractor agrees to provide one Physical Therapist and two Physical Therapy Assistants services to the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX 78229 in accordance with the terms and conditions stated herein. The minimum quantity and order value for the given Delivery/Task Order issued per Contract Line Item (CLIN) shall not be less than the minimum quantity and order value stated in the following table. The maximum quantity and order value for the given Delivery/Task Order issued per CLIN shall not exceed the maximum quantity and order value stated in the following table. BASE PERIOD: Award through September 30, 2012 EFFECTIVE DATE: December 1, 2011
OPTION PERIOD 1: October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013
OPTION PERIOD 2: October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014
OPTION PERIOD 3: October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015
OPTION PERIOD 4: October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016
OPTION PERIOD 5: October 1, 2016 through November 30, 2016
GRAND TOTAL: $__________ ========= STATEMENT OF WORK PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION PHYSICAL THERAPIST AND PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT STATEMENT OF WORK 1. GENERAL 1.1 The contractor shall provide physical therapist and physical therapy assistant services for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), 7740 Merton Minter Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78229. Services shall be in accordance with established principles, practices and ethics of The Joint Commission (TJC) and the professional standards of STVHCS for providing care to the Veteran patients and performing duties for the Veterans Affairs (VA). There will be no malpractice insurance included on this contract by STVHCS or the VA for the Contract Health Care Provider (HCP). Reference policies, procedures, requirements, and other information of general applicability may be found at: http://www.va.gov/vhapublications .
1.1.2. Performance Measures. 1.1.2.1. Outcome. The Contractor shall provide qualified personnel who will fulfill the requirement to provide therapist and/or assistant services for Rehabilitation at a standard enabling STVHCS to provide such services at a high level of quality. Providers are expected to comply with all requirements of the STVHCS including the use of the computerized patient record system (CPRS), VISTA and Microsoft Office programs and must complete all mandatory training required for clinicians in accordance to STVHCS and VA requirements as follows: Bloodborne Pathogens
Compliance Awareness Training
Environment of Care
Patient Safety
Disruptive Behavior/Violence Prevention
Security Management - Managing Violent Situations and Behaviors
Tuberculosis: Prevention and Control
1.1.2.2. Standards. Acceptable measures include: fill rate-95%; employee turnover rate-no more than one employee turnover per year, substantiated patient complaints-max 2 per year, per provider; no provider initiated cancellation of treatments except as medically required by patient, or provider illness or emergency leave. This will only be done if there are no other providers to see the patients scheduled. Contractor shall ensure that one credentialed/privileged provider for each requested position be available at all times to ensure no gaps in coverage. The Contractor shall demonstrate the ability to provide a physical therapist and physical therapy assistants (residing within 150 miles) in their pool of eligible staff. The Contractor shall also demonstrate the ability to provide continuity of care by offering the same individual provider for a minimum of 4 months. A contingency/back up plan shall be established if a provider is unable to work or complete any shift(s) that they are scheduled to work. The Contractor shall also demonstrate commitment to having all potential providers (regularly scheduled and back-up) complete necessary processing as required by Human Resources and Information Technology prior to the first day of work. Other performance evaluation factors will be monitored that are not quantified by numerical measurements which include: Contractor providing personnel exceeding the minimum qualification standards; patient customer service comments; provider and contractor relationship with hospital staff/government contracting personnel; compliance with hospital policy and procedures. 1.1.2.3. Monitoring/Quality Assurance. 1.1.2.3.1. How Measured. Department/clinic supervisor shall monitor provider performance monthly by monitoring workload reports through Veterans Health Information Systems & Technology Architecture (VISTA), open encounters through CPRS, and accuracy and completion of patient documentation. At a minimum, workload should reflect 6 hours of patient care per day with two hours per day allowed for documentation and chart review. Open encounters and patient documentation thresholds are expected to be 100% daily. Any errors must be corrected within 24hrs. Supervisor will also monitor valid patient complaints, patient advocate complaints, and Congressional correspondence. 1.1.2.3.2. Monitoring Procedures. Contract will be monitored and validated against time sheets and billing using the VISTA Appointment Management Package, rehabilitation database, PCE (Patient Care Encounter), CPRS (Computerized Patient Record System) and PTF (Patient Treatment File). These systems will be used to verify procedures and clinic workload. 1.1.2.3.3. Quality Assurance. The Contractor shall be expected to develop and maintain on-going quality management programs, to assess and improve the quality of the patient care delivered in the physical therapy department. Responsibility for achieving and maintaining standards defined by various certifying organizations, such as the Joint Commission and the Department of Veterans Affairs would ultimately reside with the Contractor. It shall be expected that this would require specific identification of one physical therapist or his/her designee as the Supervisor, Outpatient Physical Therapy, who is an employee of STVHCS. The contractor shall work with the Supervisor to ensure quality measures are documented, reviewed and within compliance of regulatory agencies. Additionally, the Government may evaluate the quality of professional and administrative services provided, but retain no control over the medical, professional aspects of services rendered (e.g., professional judgments, plans of care), in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 37.401(b). 1.2. QUALIFICATIONS 1.2.1. The contract physical therapist shall possess and maintain a valid unrestricted current license from any United States jurisdiction. The licenses and/or certificates must be renewed and maintained in a current status during the life of the contract. 1.2.2. The contract physical therapist shall possess a valid Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification. 1.2.3. The contract physical therapist shall have no record of disciplinary action that would currently exclude, suspend, or terminate him/her as an authorized Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider. 1.2.4. Contract HCP shall have graduated from a degree program in physical therapy from an approved college or university approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). 1.2.5. The contract physical therapist shall have one year of recent physical therapy experience in the United States. 1.2.6. The contract physical therapist shall be able to read, write, and speak English well enough to effectively communicate with all personnel eligible for medical care as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d). 1.2.7. The contract physical therapist shall be required to meet Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. The government will not reimburse for these costs. 1.2.8. The contract physical therapist shall have and demonstrate sufficient experience to be able to evaluate and treat disease and injuries to include, but not limited, to the following: Musculoskeletal Neuromuscular Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Integumentatry 1.2.9. The contract physical therapist shall have and demonstrate sufficient experience to be able to perform rehabilitation procedures to include, but not limited to the following assessment and treatment of:
1.2.10. The contract physical therapist shall possess and demonstrate sufficient experience to be able to perform miscellaneous tasks to include, but not limited to the following:
1.2.11. The contract physical therapy assistants shall be qualified through successful completion of an associate's degree from an accredited community college, junior college, college, or university in a physical therapy assistant education program accredited by the commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). 1.2.12. The contract physical therapy assistants shall have one year of recent physical therapy experience in the United States. 1.2.13. The contract physical therapy assistants shall have no record of disciplinary action that would currently exclude, suspend, or terminate him/her as an authorized Department of Veterans Affairs health care provider. 1.2.14. If licensed, the contract physical therapy assistants shall be required to meet Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements. The government will not reimburse for these costs. 1.2.15. The contract physical therapy assistants shall possess a valid Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification. 1.2.16. The contract physical therapy assistants shall be able to read, write, and speak English well enough to effectively communicate with all personnel eligible for medical care as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d). 1.2.17. The contract physical therapy assistants shall have and demonstrate sufficient experience to be able to perform rehabilitation procedures to include, but not limited to the following treatment of:
1.2.18. The contract physical therapist assistant will possess and demonstrate sufficient experience to be able to perform miscellaneous tasks to include, but not limited to the following:
1.3. HOURS OF PERFORMANCE 1.3.1. Duty hours: Duty hours and patient scheduling templates are established by the clinic therapy supervisor and approved by the Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Duty hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week per provider. 1.3.1.1. Shifts may include 8 or 10 hour shifts and may include weekdays, weekends, and federal holidays. 1.3.1.2. Duty hours include 30 minutes (per 8 hour shift), non-compensable lunch break and two (2) fifteen minute non-compensable breaks. Meals may be taken in the hospital dining facility at the published staff rates. 1.3.1.3. Approximately 8 to 12 scheduled patients per day will be serviced by the therapist. 1.3.2. On Call Hours. N/A 1.3.3. Scheduled absences shall be scheduled at least 30 calendar days in advance and mutually agreed upon by the Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation or his/her designee and the Contractor. 1.3.4 Unscheduled absences shall be called into the Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation or his/her designee by the contract HCP as early as possible, and at the latest, within the first two hours of each duty day they are unable to report to work. 1.3.5 Contractor will provide coverage for any urgent/emergent absences occurring during a shift or within 60 minutes of notification of the physical therapy department. 2. SPECIFIC TASKS 2.1. Contract physical therapists shall: 2.1.1. Act within the standards of conduct and perform by the rules and regulations of the State Board in the state they are licensed and exercise professional judgment in the day-to-day performance of the contract. 2.1.2. Perform all duties in such a manner that they meet all The Joint Commission (TJC) standards. 2.1.3. Maintain proper medical records on all patients treated under this contract to include appropriate Current Procedural Terminology/International Classification of Diseases (CPT/ICD) coding, and administrative closure of patient records. The HCP is mandated to fully and completely document all patient related information pertinent to the veterans care and in accordance to the STVHCS and VA standards and regulations into the CPRS of the individual veteran patient. 2.1.4. Upon referral from a physician, the physical therapist evaluates patients in complex cases to determine functional status, identifies problems and needs for individualized therapy treatment. 2.1.5. Educates patient families or health care professional in the rationale and techniques for the prescribed physical therapy treatment program. 2.1.6. The physical therapist designs treatment plans to be implemented personally by the therapist or by physical therapy assistants (PTAs). Directly oversees the plan of care conducted by subordinate personnel. The therapist accepts full responsibility for patient care provided in an assigned area regardless of whether they are personally providing the care or have utilized subordinate staff members. 2.1.7. Provides professional guidance, counseling, and evaluation and assists in directing activities and training of any assigned student. 2.1.8. Interacts effectively with patients and health professionals to maintain a high quality standard of healthcare. 2.1.9. Performs all duties with minimal supervision or guidance. 2.1.10. The physical therapist performs thorough patient examinations appropriate for the condition for which the patient has sought physical therapy care or the purpose of provider referral. Examinations will encompass the full spectrum of physical therapist examination skills to adequately diagnose the cause of the patient’s complaints. 2.1.11. The physical therapist plans and administers physical therapy to medical and surgical patients with single and multiple disabilities such as fractures, sprains, hemiplegia, peripheral nerve injuries, and surgical reconstruction. Directly participates in all patient treatment and directly oversees any treatment applied by subordinate personnel. 2.1.12. Executes full range of treatment procedures using manual therapy, therapeutic exercises, gait training, manual muscle testing and the sparing application of modalities such as heat, ultrasound, and electric stimulation. 2.1.13. Evaluates and documents each patient’s response to treatment on an ongoing basis. Tracks treatment as appropriate and executes ongoing discharge planning. Revises treatment plans with patients fail to respond or show adverse reactions to treatment. 2.1.14. Makes timely and appropriate referrals to other providers when medically indicated. 2.2. Contract Physical Therapy Assistants shall: 2.2.1. Act within the standards of conduct and perform by the rules and regulations of the State Board in the state they are licensed (if licensed) and exercise professional judgment in the day-to-day performance of the contract. 2.2.2. Perform all duties in such a manner that they meet all The Joint Commission (TJC) standards. 2.2.3. Maintain proper medical records on all patients treated under this contract to include appropriate CPT/ICD coding, and administrative closure of patient records. The HCP is mandated to fully and completely document all patient related information pertinent to the veterans care and in accordance to the STVHCS and VA standards and regulations into the CPRS of the individual veteran patient. 2.2.4. Educate patients, caregivers, families or health care professionals in the rationale and techniques for the prescribed physical therapy treatment program. 2.2.5. Provides professional guidance, counseling, and evaluation and assists in directing activities and training of any assigned student. 2.2.6. Interacts effectively with patients and health professionals to maintain a high quality standard of healthcare. 2.2.7. Performs all non-professional duties with minimal supervision or guidance. 2.2.8. Administer physical therapy to medical and surgical patients with single and multiple disabilities such as fractures, sprains, hemiplegia, peripheral nerve injuries, and surgical reconstruction. Directly participates in all patient treatment and directly oversees any treatment applied by subordinate personnel. 2.2.9. Execute a full range of treatment procedures using therapeutic exercises, gait training, manual muscle testing and the sparing application of modalities such as heat, ultrasound, and electric stimulation. 2.2.10. Document each patient’s response to treatment on an ongoing basis. Tracks treatment as appropriate and coordinates with physical therapist for ongoing discharge planning. Follows up with physical therapist to revise treatment plans with patients who fail to respond or show adverse reactions to treatment. 2.2.11. Advise the physical therapist in a timely fashion to make appropriate referrals to other providers when medically indicated. THIS SECTION INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS
The contract is effective one (1) month after award and includes one (1) 10-month base period, four (4) 12-month option periods and one (1), 2-month option period. The gap period from the date of award through the effective date is required to complete mandatory background investigation and credentialing/privileging processes/procedures.
5. DELIVERABLES:
The COR will notify the Contractor of any complaints the same day identified. The Contractor must respond to the complaint within 1 day of notification with a written response as to how the issue was resolved. If a response is not provided by the 2nd workday, the disincentive will be assessed retroactively from the 1st of the month until a response is received. The COR will make the initial determination whether or not the response or the remediation plan is adequate and negotiate as needed with the Contractor representative. Any disincentive will be suspended once the response has been received and/or negotiations are in progress. 6. CONTRACT LOCAL REQUIREMENTS: V17-HCR-01 Annual Office of Inspector General (OIG) Statement (Mar 2011) “Providers and contracting entities have an affirmative duty to check the program exclusion status of individuals and entities prior to entering into employment or contractual relationships, or run the risk of civil monetary penalties (CMP) liability if they fail to do so.” The Contractor shall provide a signed annual report to the COR stating each individual or entity under this contract has been checked against the OIG List of Excluded Individuals/Entities http://www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/exclusions.html and found no individual or entity had been excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other Federal healthcare programs. The report will be due each year on the renewal date of the contract. Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (IG/HHS) has made a determination that prior to obligating VA contracts, purchase orders, task and delivery orders, and purchase cards orders paid with VA healthcare funds may not be entered into with any individual, or with any entity or organization that has been listed on the HHS/OIG Exclusionary List. VA does not have the burden of defending the merits of the HHS/OIG decision established under §42 U.S.C. 1320a-7. V17-HRC-02 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Compliance (Mar 2011) HIPAA COMPLIANCE: HIPAA compliance is required. Contractor must adhere to the provisions of Public Law 104-191, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the National Standards to Protect the Privacy and Security of Protected Health Information (PHI). As required by HIPAA, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has promulgated rules governing the security and use and disclosure of protected health information by covered entities, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). V17-HCR-03 National Provider Identifier (NPI) Information Required (Mar 2011) All Contractors and healthcare practitioners who provide billable healthcare services to the Department of Veterans Affairs, VHA, shall obtain a National Provider Identifier (NPI) as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) National Provider Identifier Final Rule, administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This rule establishes assignment of a 10-digit numeric identifier for healthcare practitioners, intended to replace the many identifiers currently assigned by various health plans. Each practitioner needs only one NPI, valid for all employers and health plans. The NPI may be obtained via a secure website at: https://nppes.cms.hhs.gov/NPPES Contractors must also designate their Specialties/Subspecialties by means of Taxonomy Codes on the NPI application. V17-HCR-04 General Information Security Requirements (Mar 2011) All information and records provided to Contractor by VA, in whatever medium, as well as all information and documents, including drafts, emails, back-up copies, hand-written notes and copies that contain such information and records gathered or created by Contractor (collectively referred to as “VA information”) in the performance of this contract, regardless of storage media, are the exclusive property of VA. Contractor does not retain any property interest in these materials, and will not use them for any purpose other than performance of this contract. Upon completion or termination of the contract, Contractor will either provide all copies of all VA information to VA or certify that it has destroyed all copies of all VA information as required by VA in a method specified by VA, at VA’s option. Medical records of any kind including notes shall be returned to the VA. The Contractor will not retain any copies of VA information. Where immediate return or destruction of the information is not practicable, Contractor will return or destroy the information within 30 days of completion or termination of the contract. All provisions of this contract concerning the security and protection of VA information that is the subject of this contract will continue to apply to VA information for as long as the Contractor retains it, regardless of whether the contract has been completed or terminated. Prior to termination or completion of this contract, Contractor will not destroy VA information received from VA or gathered or created by Contractor in the course of performing this contract without prior written approval by VA. Contractor will receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in accordance with the terms of this contract and applicable federal and VA information confidentiality and security laws, regulations and policies. The Contractor shall not make copies of VA information except as necessary to perform this agreement or to preserve electronic information stored on Contractor electronic storage media for restoration in case any electronic equipment or data used by the Contractor needs to be restored to an operating state. Contractor shall provide access to VA information only to employees, subcontractors, and affiliates only: (1) to the extent necessary to perform the services specified in this Contract, (2) to perform necessary maintenance functions for electronic storage or transmission media necessary for performance of this contract, and (3) only to individuals who first satisfy the same conditions, requirements and restrictions that comparable VA employees must meet in order to have access to the same VA information. These restrictions include the same level of background investigations, where applicable. Contractor will store, transport or transmit VA information only in an encrypted form, using an encryption application that meets the requirements of FIPS 140-2, and is approved for use by VA. Except for uses and disclosures of VA information authorized by this contract for performance of the contract, the contractor may use and disclose VA information only in two other situations: (i) in response to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or (ii) with VA’s prior written authorization. The contractor will refer all requests for, demands for production of, or inquiries about, VA information to VA for response. If VA information subject to the contract includes information protected by 38 USC 7332, or 5705, include the following after the last sentence of the paragraph immediately above: Contractor shall not release information protected by either 38 USC 5705 or 7332 in response to a court order, and shall immediately refer such court orders to VA for response. Prior to any disclosure pursuant to a court order, the Contractor shall promptly notify VA of the court order upon its receipt by the Contractor, provide VA with a copy by fax or email, whichever is faster, and notify by telephone the VA individual designated in advance to receive such notices. If the Contractor cannot notify VA before being compelled to produce the information under court order, the Contractor will notify VA of the disclosure as soon as practical and provide a copy of the court order, including a copy of the court order, a description of the records provided pursuant to the court order, and to whom the Contractor provided the records under the court order. The notice will include the following information to the extent that the Contractor knows it, if it does not show on the face of the court order: the records disclosed pursuant to the order, to whom, where, when, and for what purpose, and any other information that the Contractor reasonably believes is relevant to the disclosure. If VA determines that it is appropriate to seek retrieval of information released pursuant to a court order before Contractor notified VA of the court order, Contractor will assist VA in attempting to retrieve the VA information involved. The Contractor will inform VA by the most expeditious method available to Contractor of any incident of suspected or actual access to, or disclosure, disposition, alteration or destruction of, VA information not authorized under this Contract (“incident”) within one hour of learning of the incident. An incident includes the transmission, storage or access of VA information by Contractor or subcontractor employees in violation of applicable VA confidentiality and security requirements. To the extent known by the Contractor, the Contractor’s notice to VA will identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information was placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor considers relevant. Contractor will simultaneously report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity of jurisdiction. The Contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees will cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The Contractor also will cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, to obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident, or to obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident. VA will provide the Contractor with the name, title, telephone number, fax number and email address of the VA official to whom the Contractor will provide all notices required by this Contract. VA has the right during normal business hours to inspect the Contractor’s facility, information technology systems and storage and transmission equipment, and software utilized to perform the contract to ensure that the Contractor is providing for the security of VA data and computer systems in accordance with the terms of this Contract. Contractor will receive, gather, store, back up, maintain, use, disclose and dispose of VA information only in compliance with all applicable Federal information Processing Standards (FIPS) and Special Publications (SPs) issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) concerning VA information that is the subject of this contract. If NIST issues or updates an applicable FIPS or SP after execution of this contract, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith to implement the FIPS or SP in this contract. A determination by VA that the Contractor has violated any of the information confidentiality and security provisions of this contract, including a violation of any applicable FIPS or SP, shall be a basis for VA to terminate the contract for cause. If anyone performing this contract, including employees of subcontractors, accesses VA computer systems or data in the performance of the contract, VA may monitor and record all such access activity. If VA monitoring reveals any information of suspected or potential criminal law violations, VA will refer the matter to the appropriate law enforcement authorities for investigation. Contractor shall inform its employees and other individuals performing any part of this contract that VA may monitor their actions in accessing or attempting to access VA computer systems and the possible consequences to them for improper access, whether successful or not. The Contractor shall ensure that any subcontractors or others acting on behalf of, or for, the Contractor in performing any part of this contract inform their employees, associates or others acting on their behalf that VA may monitor their access activities. Execution of this contract and any subcontract or agreement constitutes consent to VA monitoring. The Contractor will ensure that all individuals who will access VA data or systems in performing the contract are appropriately trained in the applicable VA confidentiality and security requirements. Contractor may do this by requiring and documenting that these individuals have completed the VA training for its employees. To the extent practicable, Contractor shall mitigate any harmful effect on individuals whose VA information was accessed or disclosed in an incident. Contractor shall require subcontractors, agents, affiliates or others to whom Contractor provides access to VA information for the performance of this contract to agree to the same VA information confidentiality and security restrictions and conditions that apply to the Contractor before providing access. The contractor shall abide by FAR clauses 52.224-1 and 52.224.2. The contractor shall abide by FAR clauses 52.239-1 and 52.224.1-2 for Privacy or Security Safeguards In the performance of any part of the work on this contract, the contractor shall utilize only employees, subcontractors or agents who are physically located within a jurisdiction subject to the laws of the United States. Contractor will ensure that it does not use or disclose Patient Health Information (PHI) received from Covered Entity in any way that will remove the PHI from such jurisdiction. Contractor will ensure that its employees, subcontractors and agents do not use or disclose PHI received from Covered Entity in any way that will remove the PHI from such jurisdiction. V17-HRC-05 Medical Records (Mar 2011) A contractor providing healthcare services to VA patients shall be considered as part of the Department Healthcare Activity and shall comply with the Privacy Act, Title 5 U.S.C. § 522a and Title 38 U.S.C. §§ 5701, 5705, and 7332 as well as 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162, and 164 (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Contractor and its employees may have access to patient medical records: however, the contractor must obtain permission from the VA before disclosing any patient information. The penalties and liabilities for the unauthorized disclosure of VA patient information mandated by the statutes and regulations mentioned above, apply to the contractor and his employees. Subject to the applicable confidentiality laws, the contractor may have access to VA records at the VA’s place of business. The VA will provide the contractor with a copy of VHA Handbook 1907.1, Health Information management and Health Records and VHA Handbook 1605.1, Privacy and Release of Information. Contractor generated VA Patient records are the property of the VA and shall not be accessed, released, transferred, or destroyed except in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Treatment and administrative patient records generated by this contract or provided to the contractor by the VA are covered by the VA system of records entitled ‘Patient Medical Records-VA’(24VA19). Medical record entries shall be legible and maintained in detail consistent with good medical and professional practices so as to facilitate internal and external peer reviews, medical audits and follow-up treatments. Copies of received medical information shall be authenticated (signed) copies. The contractor shall ensure that all records pertaining to medical care and services are available for immediate transmission when requested by the VA. Records identified for review, audit, or evaluation by VA representatives and authorized federal and state officials, shall be accessed on-site during normal business hours or mailed by the contractor at his expense. The contractor shall deliver all final patient records, correspondence, and notes to the VA within twenty-one (21) calendar days after the contract expiration date. Release of Information: The VA shall maintain control of releasing any patient medical information and will follow policies and standards as defined, but not limited to Privacy Act requirements. In the case of the VA authorizing the contractor to release patient information, the contractor in compliance with VA regulations, and at his/her own expense, shall use VA Form 3288, Request for and Consent to Release of Information from Individual’s Records, to process “Release of Information Requests.” In addition, the contractor shall be responsible for locating and forwarding records not kept at their facility. The VA’s Release of Information Section shall provide the contractor with assistance in completing forms. Additionally, the contractor shall use VA Form 10-5345, Request for and Authorization to Release Medical Records or Health Information, when releasing records protected by 38 U.S.C. 7332. Treatment and release records shall include the patient’s consent form. Completed Release of Information requests will be forwarded to the VA Privacy Officer at the following address: South Texas Veterans Health Care System Attn: Privacy Officer (136E) 7400 Merton Minter Blvd San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 617-5300, ext. 15602 FAX: (210) 617-5245
As prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 42.15, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) evaluates contractor past performance on all contracts that exceed $100,000, and shares those evaluations with other Federal Government contract specialists and procurement officials. The FAR requires that the contractor be provided an opportunity to comment on past performance evaluations prior to each report closing. To fulfill this requirement VA uses an online database, CPARS, which is maintained by the Naval Seal Logistics Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. CPARS has connectivity with the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) database, which is available to all Federal agencies. PPIRS is the system used to collect and retrieve performance assessment reports used in source selection determinations and completed CPARS report cards transferred to PPIRS. CPARS also includes access to the federal awardee performance and integrity information system (FAPIIS). FAPIIS is a web-enabled application accessed via CPARS for contractor responsibility determination information. Each contractor whose contract award is estimated to exceed $100,000 is required to register with CPARS database at the following web address: www.cpars.csd.disa.mil. Help in registering can be obtained by contacting Customer Support Desk @ DSN: 684-1690 or COMM: 207-438-1690. Registration should occur no later than thirty days after contract award, and must be kept current should there be any change to the contractor’s registered representative. For contracts with a period of one year or less, the contracting officer will perform a single evaluation when the contract is complete. For contracts exceeding one year, the contracting officer will evaluate the contractor’s performance annually. Interim reports will be filed each year until the last year of the contract, when the final report will be completed. The report shall be assigned in CPARS to the contractor’s designated representative for comment. The contractor representative will have thirty days to submit any comments and re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer. Failure to have a current registration in the CPARS database, or to re-assign the report to the VA contracting officer within those thirty days, will result in the Government’s evaluation being placed on file in the database with a statement that the contractor failed to respond.
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