Thriving Through Partnership

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Thriving Through Partnership

• October 3 4, 2005
• Chicago Marriott OHare Hotel

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What it Takes to Become an FSS Contractor
for Services
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What it Takes to Become an FSS Contractor for
Services

• Overview of Federal Supply Schedule
• Proposal Preparation/Submittal Process
• From Offer Submission to Contract Award

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What is the Federal Supply Schedule Program?

• Listing of contracts to multiple companies
  supplying comparable commercial supplies and
  services.
• National contracts awarded to responsible vendors
  to provide supplies and services at established
  prices, terms and conditions.
• Authorized Users All Federal Agencies and
  Activities in the Executive, Legislative and
  Judicial Branches.

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Structure of Federal Supply Schedule Program

• Product/Service Groups delineated by Product
  Service Codes (PSC).
• Products/Services also further delineated by
  Special Item Numbers (SIN).

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Authority GSA delegated to Veterans Affairs
National Acquisition Center the responsibility
for the Federal Supply Schedule program for
medical care related supplies, equipment,
pharmaceuticals and services.
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What is a Federal Supply Schedule Contract?

• Multiple Award Contract
• Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ)
• Firm Fixed-Price Contract with Economic Price
  Adjustment
• Open and Continuous Solicitation Cycle
• They are multi-year (5 years base), with option
  to extend for up to an additional 5 years (except
  Pharmaceutical (65 IB)
• National and World-Wide Coverage

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• How Do I Qualify?
• Clearly demonstrate at least 1 year corporate
  experience in providing medical staffing
  services.
• Demonstrate a significant amount of revenue.
• Capable of providing placements in at least one
  entire state.
• Carry Professional Liability Insurance
  (malpractice) in the minimum amount of 1 million
  per occurrence / 3 million aggregate.

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• How Do I Get Started?
• Visit GSAs website.
• www.gsa.gov/schedules
• Download a copy of the solicitation.
• Read the entire solicitation package
• Complete the solicitation package, prepare and
  submit your proposal.

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• Proposal Preparation
• Exhibit 1 - Contract Data
• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Exhibit 3 - Price Proposal
• Exhibit 4 Subcontracting Plan

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• Proposal Preparation
• Exhibit 1 - Contract Data
• Following the instructions provided complete and
  return Exhibit 1

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• Proposal Preparation
• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Factor A - Corporate Experience
• Factor B - Management Plan
• Factor C - Past Performance
• Factor D - Insurance

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Factor A Corporate Experience
• Clearly demonstrate corporate experience relevant
  to the Medical Staffing environment. Provide
  this in essay format, no longer than 3 pages.

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Factor B - Management Plan
• Screening/Credentialing Procedures
• Recruitment and Retention Plan
• Personnel Substitution/Replacement Procedures
• Provide this in essay format, no longer than 15
  pages

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Factor C Past Performance
• Submit 3 References

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal
• Factor D Professional Liability Insurance
• Covers corporate entity as well as all placements
• 1 million per occurrence / 3 million aggregate
• Endorsement per clause 852.237-7
• Disclose any subcontractors
• Provide copy of agreement
• Provide copy of agreement
• Offers submitted without proof of insurance will
  be rejected

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 3 - Price Proposal
• Read General Information
• Follow all instructions under Commercial Sales
  Practice Disclosure Section
• Complete all tabs (attachment 1a - 1f) of excel
  spreadsheet
• Offers submitted without a complete price
  proposal will be returned for completion

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Proposal Preparation

• Exhibit 3 - Price Proposal
• At a minimum shall include
• Labor Categories by SIN
• Qualifications of Each Labor Category
• Geographic Coverage
• Net Ceiling Price for Each Line Item Offered
• Payment Terms
• Minimum Assignment Period

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Proposal Preparation

• Price Proposal
• Commercial Sales Practice Disclosures
• At a minimum provide
• Actual sales information
• Best (lowest) price/terms and conditions billed
  and location of sale Best price billed recently
• additional transactional data as requested
• pricing validation for all SINs offered
• be sure disclosures do not include
  transportation/lodging

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Proposal Preparation

• Price Proposal
• Commercial Sales Practice Disclosures
• Commercial rate/quote sheets
• Copies of commercial agreements
• Additional relevant supporting documentation

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Finalize Proposal

• Solicitation Checklist
• Put in 3 -3 ring binder
• Separate and identify sections 1, 2, and 3
• Review checklist and follow all instructions on
  CP-5
• Send to VA

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FSS Four Phase Process(From offer submission to
contract award)
Phase 1 Review
Phase 2 Evaluation
Phase 3 Negotiation

• Phase 4 Contract Award

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Phase 1 - Review

• Proposal is reviewed for missing information and
  clarifications.
• Missing information letter is generated by the
  contracting officer and sent to the offeror.
• Offeror is provided an opportunity to submit
  additional information.

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Phase 2 - Evaluation

• Each proposal is evaluated based on the offerors
  current commercial pricing practices.
• Review of CSP disclosures.
• Review of the similarities and differences
  between Government and Commercial Customers.
• Review of the price build up.

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Phase 2 - Evaluation

• Contracting officer identifies comparable
  commercial terms and conditions as they relate to
  needs of the Federal customer.
• Negotiation targets are established based on
  offerors pricing policy, terms and conditions
  for all customers.

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Phase 3 - Negotiation

• Negotiation discussions are conducted via
  telephone conferences.
• Agreement is reached regarding prices, terms and
  conditions.
• Final Proposal Revisions (FPR) are submitted in
  writing at close of negotiations.

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What are the awarded terms?

• Geographic Coverage
• Net Hourly Rate
• Shift Differentials
• Minimum Assignment Period

• Prompt Payment
• On Call/Call Back
• Background Investigation
• Medical Liability Insurance
• Credit Card Acceptance

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Phase 4 Contract Award

• Determining Factors for contract award
• Did the Government achieve a fair and reasonable
  price?
• Is offeror responsive and responsible?
• Did offeror complete all certifications and
  regulatory requirements in their entirety?
• Is past performance history satisfactory?
• Is the offeror financially capable?
• Is it in the overall best interest of the
  Government?

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Contract Award Actions

• Award package is issued to schedule contractor
  identifying discounts, terms, and conditions of
  award.
• Vendor must prepare an Authorized Federal Supply
  Schedule Pricelist in accordance with Contract
  Price Lists Clause.
• VANAC submits award information to GSA for
  posting on the Schedules E-Library.
• Contractor utilizes SIP program to publish price
  list electronically.

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Electronic Commerce Tools

• Schedules E-Library
• www.gsaelibrary.gsa.gov
• GSA Advantage! / e-Buy
• www.gsaadvantage.gov
• NAC Contract Catalog Search Tool
• (Internet) http//www1.va.gov/oamm/nac/secr.htm

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Key Contracting Clauses

• Economic Price Adjustment Provision Medical
  Professionals component of the CPIU Index and the
  Governments price relationship to the
  information utilized in price analysis process.
• Report of Sales sales reports are required 60
  days after the end of each fiscal quarter. Sales
  are reported for VA activities and Other
  Government Agencies (OGA).
• Industrial Funding Fee must remit 1 of the
  total reported sales with each quarterly sales
  report.

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Contractor Responsibility

• Maintain integrity of awarded prices
• Market individual activities
• Submit timely quarterly sales reports and other
  deliverables (i.e. subcontracting plans, if
  applicable)
• Periodically update published FSS price list
  based on bilaterally executed modifications to
  the contract (additions, deletions, price
  changes, etc.)

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Government Customer Responsibility

• Follow FAR 8.405-2 Ordering Procedures for
  Services Requiring a Statement of Work
• Issue clear SOW
• Adhere to the terms and conditions of the
  contract
• Timely payments

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Benefits of the FSS Program for Contractors

• Closely mirrors commercial buying practices.
• Streamlined contract vehicle for selling to the
  entire Federal Government.
• New supplies/services may continually be
  introduced to the system.
• Ordering activities place orders directly with
  vendors.

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Benefits of the FSS Program for Agencies

• Ordering activities are not required to
  synopsize/advertise.
• Prices have already been determined fair and
  reasonable.
• All ordering activities, large or small, even
  those in remote locations, are provided with the
  same services, convenience, and pricing.
• Shorter lead-times, lower administrative costs.
• Enables the customer to focus on the quality of
  the product or service acquired and not the
  process to acquire it.

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• VA Manages the Following Service Schedules
• 66 III-Cost-Per-Test for Clinical Analyzer,
  Laboratory
• 621 I- Professional and Allied Healthcare
  Staffing 
• 621 II - Medical Laboratory Testing and Analysis
  Services (NEW!)
• 621 V - Teleradiology Services (Coming Soon!)

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• 621 I HELP DESK
• Phone [phone]
• E-Mail helpdesk.fss621i_at_med.va.gov

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VA FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE SERVICE

• http//www1.va.gov/oamm/nac/fsss/index.htm
• Carole O'Brien, Director
• [phone]
• Dore Fessler, FSS Assistant Director of Medical
  Professional Services
• [phone]

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FSS Medical Professional Services

• QA
• Program Managers
• Darlene McGary
• [phone]
• Darlene.McGary_at_med.va.gov

• Linda Smith
• [phone]
• Linda.Smith_at_med.va.gov

• Copy of Presentation will be made available after
  5 p.m. on October 4 at www.va.gov/vastorenac
• Thank You