Q -- SOURCES SOUGHT TO PROVIDE REFERENCE LABORATORY & PATHOLOGY SERVICES

Notice Date

April 9, 2001

Contracting Office

DHHS, Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service, 115 4th Avenue Southeast, Room 309 Federal Building, Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401

ZIP Code

57401

Solicitation Number

SSS/RL&P

Response Due

April 20, 2001

Point of Contact

Ron Sieler, Contract Specialist, or Ronda Longbrake,Contracting Officer at 605-226-7567

Description

Q -- The Aberdeen Area Indian Health Service located in Aberdeen,South Dakota, is performing market research to identify contractors capable of providing reference laboratory and pathology services beginning on October 1, 2001. Of interest is the ability to provide a full range of clinical, microbiology, and anatomic pathology testing services for 15 Indian Health Service hospitals and health centers in North Dakota and South Dakota. Interested laboratories shall be Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA of 1988) certified and should illustrate methodology for: (1) Developing a transportation network for the shipment of specimens from Indian Health Service facilities to the reference for processing, analysis, reporting analytic results and interpretations to the sending facility within 24 hours for 90% of required tests. (2) Issuing and restocking pre-analytic processing supplies (collection tubes, needles, needle holders, slides, specimen bags and containers, printer paper, requisition forms, special transport media, dry ice, etc. (3) Developing methodology/benchmark referencing and test verification procedures. (4) Providing telecommunications services (electronic capability for reports and customer-generated work) including the provision of a personal computer for each of the 15 locations. (5) On-site pathologist consultation services including monthly visits to seven hospitals and quarterly visits to eight health centers. During each facility visit, the pathologist shall be accompanied by a medical technologist, and an equipment maintenance technician. (6) Providing consultation services on Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) and College of American Pathologoy (CAP) accreditation, certification, and proficiency testing issues. (7) Providing consultation services on Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. (8) Providing consultation services on Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) accreditation and certification standards and requirements. (9) Developing and implementing an HL7 interface for the electronic communication of reportable information from the reference lab to the laboratory software application in the Indian Health Service Resource and Patient Management System (RPMS) used by the 15 Aberdeen Area laboratories. The interface shall be completed by the time of contract award. (10) Documenting a record of successful past performance in providing reference laboratory and pathology services to either Government or civilian sources in rural, remote locations (five years of documented experience is preferred), and (11) Participating in a pre-solicitation conference if scheduled. Interested parties shall provide established unit costs per tests offered (current catalog pricing preferred), costs for on-site visits, and costs for interface development activities. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. No contract will be issued as result of this sources sought announcement. As a part of this market research, interested respondents should submit responses to this office by the close of business on Friday, April 20, 2001.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010411/QSOL006.HTM (W-099 SN50I6L1)