# Presentation: 512425

## Thriving Through Partnership 

**October 3 & 4, 2005**
**Chicago Marriott O’Hare Hotel **

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

## 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

## 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.

## 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).

## 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.

**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.

**Notes:**
The VA acts under a delegated authority on behalf of the GSA FSS program.

GSA Number/GSA Contract/FSS contract/VA number/Schedule   - all mean the same thing.

## 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

## 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.

## FSS Medical Professional Services

_**How Do I Get Started?**_** **
**Visit GSA’s website.**
- _[www.gsa.gov](http://www.gsa.gov/schedules)__[/schedules](http://www.gsa.gov/schedules)_
- Download a copy of the solicitation.
- Read the entire solicitation package
- Complete the solicitation package, prepare and submit your proposal.

## FSS Medical Professional Services

_**Proposal Preparation**_** **
**Exhibit 1 -  Contract Data**
**Exhibit 2 - Technical Proposal**
**Exhibit 3 - Price Proposal**
**Exhibit 4 – Subcontracting Plan**

## FSS Medical Professional Services

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

## 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**

**Notes:**
Discuss number of pages

## 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.  **

## 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

## Proposal Preparation

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

## 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

## 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**

## 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

## 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

## Proposal Preparation

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

## Finalize Proposal

*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**

## FSS Four Phase Process(From offer submission to contract award)

**Phase 1** – **Review**

**Phase 2** – **Evaluation**

**Phase 3** – **Negotiation**

**  **Phase 4** – ****Contract Award**

## 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.

## Phase 2 - Evaluation

- Each proposal is evaluated based on the offeror’s 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.

## 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 offeror’s pricing policy, terms and conditions for all customers.

## 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.

## What are the awarded terms?

***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**

## 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?

## 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.

## Electronic Commerce Tools

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

## Key Contracting Clauses:

- Economic Price Adjustment Provision – Medical Professionals component of the CPIU Index and the Government’s 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.

## 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.)

## 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

## 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.

## 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.

## 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!)*

## FSS Medical Professional Services 

- 621 I HELP DESK** **
**Phone:  (708) 786-7722**
**E-Mail:  helpdesk.fss621i@med.va.gov**

## VA FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULE SERVICE

- _[http://www1.va.gov/oamm/nac/fsss/index.htm](http://www1.va.gov/oamm/nac/fsss/index.htm)_
**Carole O'Brien, Director **
**(708) 786-4957**
**Dore Fessler, FSS Assistant Director of Medical Professional Services **
**(708) 786-5223**

## FSS Medical Professional Services

**Q&A**
**Program Managers:**
- Darlene McGary
- (708) 786-5246
- _[Darlene.McGary@med.va.gov](mailto:Darlene.McGary@med.va.gov)_

- Linda Smith
- (708) 786-5194
- _[Linda.Smith@med.va.gov](mailto:Linda.Smith@med.va.gov)_

**Copy of Presentation will be made available after 5 p.m. on October 4**** ****at**** **_**[www.va.gov/vastorenac](http://www.va.gov/vastorenac)**_
**	****	****	****	****	****	*****Thank You***