SOURCES SOUGHT
V -- Patient Travel Services for the National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center
- Notice Date
- 11/15/2006
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 561510
— Travel Agencies
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center/Office of Purchasing & Contracts, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 106, MSC 5480, Bethesda, MD, 20892-5480, UNITED STATES
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- Reference-Number-CC-07-02
- Response Due
- 11/28/2006
- Archive Date
- 12/13/2006
- Description
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH), Clinical Center is conducting a market survey to determine the availability and potential technical capability of large businesses, small businesses and small disadvantaged businesses to provide the requirement as outlined below. The NIH Clinical Center serves as the nation?s premier research hospital for conducting clinical research to improve the health of human kind. It is a 234-bed research hospital located at the heart of the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland. In supporting approximately 1,200 active clinical research protocols, the Clinical Center admits patients from around the country and the world who participate in experimental treatments and studies at no charge. Protocol participants include both patients receiving treatment and other research volunteers. In Fiscal Year 2005, the number of transactions for travel, lodging, and meal reimbursement totaled approximately 85,000 transactions across 18 institutes. Ticketed reservations for airline and train travel accounted for approximately 28,000 transactions. The estimated total expenditure for travel, lodging and meal expenses was approximately $12 million. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center requires a contractor to provide an on-site patient travel office that provides high quality, comprehensive, customer-focused, patient travel management services that include; Travel (transportation) and lodging arrangements, Cash or check reimbursement services for approved expenses. The contractor shall operate Monday ? Friday, 8:00am to 5:30pm, except for government holidays. Additionally, the Contractor shall provide 7-day, 24-hour availability to handle after hours travel arrangements. It is anticipated that the period of performance will be for one twelve month period, with options to renew for 4 additional 12 month periods. Specifically, the contractor shall provide travel reservation services for airline and train travel for NIH patients. Initially, government staff will authorize travel and lodging reimbursement amounts and dates. The contractor will then receive a request at the on-site office. The request will include the patient name, sponsoring institute, protocol numbers, common accounting numbers, and the authorized dates and mode of travel. The contractor will then verify the protocol specific reimbursement amount by querying a database provided by the government. There will either be full reimbursement, partial reimbursement or no reimbursement to the patient. Reservation and ticketing services also includes: interfacing directly with patients on their travel requirements and making, confirming, and changing reservations. The Contractor will be responsible for accommodating special needs for patients, including but not limited to, travelers requiring oxygen during travel, wheelchair and attendant arrangements at the airport, and special seating accommodations for medical reasons. In addition, the contractor shall be responsible for providing travel reimbursement services for transportation, lodging and meals based upon Government authorization procedures as described above. Specifically, the contractor will receive a request at the on-site office. The contractor will verify the protocol specific reimbursement amount by querying the database provided by the government. The contractor will either be approved to pay the patient for full reimbursement, partial reimbursement or no reimbursement. The contractor will be required to develop a process to issue either cash or check reimbursement for patients based upon approved rates provided by the government. The contractor shall provide an electronic tracking system to record each transaction made for travel arrangements and reimbursement to allow them to provide monthly and fiscal year end reports. The electronic tracking system will include the institute, protocol number, common accounting number, protocol participant?s name, and dates of travel, date of travel transaction, and reimbursement amount for travel, lodging, transportation, and meals. Also, the contractor shall provide a Computer Reservation System that shall include GSA contract and lowest cost air fares, negotiated rates for hotels and have the capability to include other rates set by NIH consistent with federal and NIH travel policy. All businesses are invited to respond to this market survey. The responses should include; a demonstration of your company?s capability to manage a high volume travel and reimbursement office, key staff qualifications and evidence of experience in providing travel services, and a discussion of your financial ability to provide immediate reimbursement to patients who request the services above. The capability statement must state business size, annual receipts (average gross revenue) for the last three fiscal years, and whether or not the firm has been approved as a small business by the SBA under the applicable NAICS Code 561510. Capable firms should provide 5 copies of your capability statement to the attention of Christopher Belt at the above address by November 28, 2006. Vendors who respond to this announcement will be invited to attend a pre-solicitation conference. Vendors will be notified of the date, time and location of the conference after the capability statements are received. The purpose of this conference will be to exchange information between government and contractors to improve the understanding of government requirements and industry capabilities. Please indicate your intent to attend the conference in your capability statement. Please include the potential attendee names and titles. This is a market survey and does not constitute the synopsis announcement for the actual solicitation.
- Record
- SN01181359-W 20061117/061115220312 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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