Sources Sought This is a SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE. This is NOT a solicitation for proposals or quotes. The purpose of this Notice is to obtain information regarding the availability and capability of qualified laboratories, NAICS 621511, which can provide testing services for various testing and technical components (as outlined below) for VA Medical Centers located in New England. The anticipated contract duration will be a base year and four option years. THIS IS STRICTLY MARKET RESEARCH THAT WILL ASSIST THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, BOSTON HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PLAN THEIR ACQUISITION STRATEGY. Proposals will not be accepted at this time. General Statement of Need The contractor shall provide the following services: a. Tests to be covered: provide urine drug of abuse confirmation testing services and transportation services at a rate of $30 or lower per urine drug of abuse confirmation. Confirmation testing to include but not limited to amphetamine, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabinoids, opiates, methadone, oxycodone, propoxyphene and buprenorphine. b. Mandatory Turnaround Time: Provide results with a TAT of 48 hours from specimen receipt. The following VA Medical Centers will participate in this agreement: VA West Roxbury 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, MA 02132; VA Boston, 150 South Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02130; VA Brockton, 940 Belmont Street, Brockton, MA 02401; VA Bedford, 200 Springs Road, Bedford, MA 01730; VA Connecticut, West Haven Campus, 950 Campbell Ave, West Haven, CT 06516; VA Newington (consolidated with West Haven) 555 Willard Ave, Newington, CT 06111; VA Providence, 830 Chalkstone Ave, Providence, RI 02908; VA Togus, 1 VA Center, Augusta, ME 04330; VA Manchester, 718 Smyth Road, Manchester, NH 03104; VA Northampton, 421 North Main Street, Leeds, MA 01060; VA White River Junction, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT 05009 This list may be amended at any period during subject contract to include other Government Medical facilities. The CONTRACTING LABORATORY: 1. Shall provide the necessary personnel, transportation, materials, supplies, and equipment, to perform and report accurate and timely urine drug of abuse confirmation tests. This agreement will support the VISN 1 Network Consolidated Laboratory System. 2. Shall carry out its functions hereunder in full compliance with all local, state, and federal laws or regulations concerning drug testing, alcohol testing and program management. 3. Shall provide urine drug of abuse confirmation testing services and transportation services at a rate of $30 or lower per urine drug of abuse confirmation. Confirmation testing to include but not limited to amphetamine, barbiturates, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabinoids, opiates, methadone, oxycodone, propoxyphene and buprenorphine. 4. Shall perform testing entirely upon their premises. 5. Shall provide results with a TAT of 48 hours from specimen receipt. 6. Shall provide individual patient-chartable test result reports meeting CLIA requirements and must be electronically transmitted to each POC for local printing or faxed to each POC. Printed reports will include: " The name and address of the contract laboratory where each test was performed " The specimen accession number of the contract laboratory " The name of the contract Laboratory Director or Medical Director. " A phone number to contact the contract laboratory concerning the test results. " The contract laboratory's CLIA certification number. " The patient's name. " The patient's SSN. " The patient's age or date of birth. " The patient's sex. " The Medical Center/CBOC specimen identification number. " The specimen collection date. " The Contractor's report date and time. " The test name. " The test result(s). " The unit of measurement for quantitative tests. " The normal or expected range (reference range adjusted for age, sex, or race when appropriate). " The report status (i.e., final or interim). " Other interpretive information appropriate for the test(s). " CPT Code. 7. Specimens must be stored by the testing laboratory for at least seven (7) days after the reporting of the results. 8. In cases of malfunction of the Contractor-supplied electronic reporting method lasting more than 24 hours, the Contractor must, without additional charge, provide express overnight shipping or courier delivery of printed reports to each POC until the automated information system is properly functioning. 9. Shall carry out its functions hereunder in full compliance with all local, state, and federal laws or regulations. 10. Shall certify and ensure that all employees, officers, or agents do not use Protected Health Information received from any VISN 1 site that would constitute a violation of any applicable provision in standards set forth in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). B. LICENSING AND ACCREDITATION- CONTRACTING LABORATORY 1. Shall have all licenses, permits, accreditation certificates required by law. 2. Shall be accredited by the CLIA or the College of American Pathologists. Copies of all certifications and renewal certifications will be provided upon submission of a proposal to the Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). 3. Medical Director must be licensed Physician with suitable qualifications and experience to direct a laboratory providing testing under this contract according to CLIA and CAP standards. 4. Must submit a copy of the professional certification and/or licensure of the Laboratory Director and/or Medical Director to the COTR with proposal. 5. Must comply with the regulatory requirements of Health and Human Services Health Care Financing Administration. 6. Must notify the Contracting Officer immediately, in writing, upon its loss (or any of its subcontractors) of any required certification, accreditation, or licensure. C. QUALITY CONTROL: To ensure proper handling and test performance, the contractor shall provide the following updated information upon request during the life of the contract. 1. Proficiency testing data will include challenges failed, a list of tests outside of the +/- 2SD range for the past (2) years. Testing lab shall notify VA of any test outside +/- 2 SD range during agreement period. 2. The VA will maintain an Internal Quality Control Program to monitor the quality of test results received from testing lab. Unidentified split specimens may be sent periodically to testing lab for analysis. A split specimen may also be sent to another reference laboratory for comparison. D. SERVICE: 1. CONTRACTING LABORATORY shall provide a Laboratory Manual containing the following information: " Department hours of operation " Accreditation " Technical Staff " Service Departments( Method of contacting, phone numbers, hours of availability) " Quality Assurance Information such as " Billing Procedures & fee schedules for services provided " Procedures and criteria for phoning reports and other important information " Report forms 2. CONTRACTING LABORATORY shall provide telephone number(s) and contact person(s) to be used by the VA Medical Center to make specimen problem inquiries and problem solving at all times including weekends and holidays. *NOTE: Also include names and telephone number(s) of technical Directors and Pathologists available for consultation. 3. CONTRACTING LABORATORY agrees to maintain the minimum acceptable service, reporting systems, and quality control as specified herein. Immediate (within 24 hours) notification must be given to VA upon adverse action by a regulatory agency. 4. CONTRACTING LABORATORY shall assign a specific local account representative. 5. CONTRACTING LABORATORY shall advise facility of any changes in methodology, procedure or reference ranges. The Government will: 1. Perform specimen collection to obtain acceptable specimens from patients unless otherwise specified in which case will be negotiated with the contractor. 2. The Government will provide biologic specimens that have been collected and processed (centrifuged and separated, labeled, and preserved) per the Contractor's published pre-analytical requirements, and in accordance with good laboratory practices (GLP). 3. Order required tests in VISTA, or other LIS, if available, and provide the Contractor with test requests, lists or work documents with required patient demographics and ordering information. For these automated sites, the Government will not complete additional Contractor's forms, data entry or test requisitions in the Contractor's automated laboratory system. 4. For each test requisition, Government personnel will provide: Patient's full name. Patient's SSN. Accession Number. Date of Specimen Collection. Date Specimen Shipped. Test(s) Requested/Code and Name. Ordering Physician's Name. Ordering Remarks/Comments (if clinically appropriate). Patient's Age or Date of Birth. Patient's Sex. Type of Specimen Patient's location (clinic/ward) Estimated Workload Testing Needed *Estimated # of Tests Yearly MARIJUANA, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 46 PCP, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 0 AMPHETAMINES, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION, GCMS, URINE 52 BARBITURATES, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 24 BENZODIAZEPINES,QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION GCMS, URINE 274 COCAINE METABOLITE, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 50 METHADONE AND METABOLITE, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 10 OPIATE, EXPANDED, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 368 PROPOXYPHENE METABOLITE, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 0 OXYCODONE AND METABOLITE, QUALITATIVE CONFIRMATION BY GCMS, URINE 44 *These are estimates only. Volumes will vary and these are not guaranteed. Estimates obtained from utilization data for Q1 & Q2 FY2010. The information provided is NOT intended to be a solicitation for proposals but rather for potential small businesses in determining their capability to meet requirements. T All qualified and interested businesses should notify this office by email ([email protected]) on or before 02:00 p.m. EST on June 22, 2010. Responses should include: 1. Identification and verification of the organization to include the DUNS number. 2. A positive statement of your intent to submit a proposal for the solicitation. This is NOT a Request for Proposals and does NOT constitute any commitment by the Government. Responses to this Sources Sought Notice will be used by the Government to make appropriate acquisition decisions. All interested sources must respond to future solicitation announcements separately from responses to this Market Research/Sources Sought Notice.

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