R--Medical Examiner Performance Study

TITLE: Medical Examiner Performance Study This is a COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in the notice and following the Simplified Acquisition Procedures in FAR Part 13.5 THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSTITUTES THE ONLY SOLICITATION; QUOTES ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-6. The US Department of Interior, through its Franchise Fund activity, GovWorks, is issuing this solicitation Number 0406RQ60170 on behalf of Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration. This contract will procure technical, administrative, translation and interpretation support the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, DOT. Consistent with the NAFTA?s commitment to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade and our overall efforts to facilitate implementation of the NAFTA truck and bus access provisions, the FMCSA is focused on implementing procedures that allow both U.S. and Mexican carriers to obtain IRP and IFTA credentials and allow the carriers to use the highways of each NAFTA country on an equal basis. This effort provides the southern Border States the technical and administrative assistance they need to effectively implement procedures to issue credentials to Mexican carriers as the NAFTA access provisions are implemented and the carriers begin to operate beyond the border commercial zones. Concurrently, the work encompassed within the contract will allow the States to continue to work towards a long-term solution that permits Mexico to become a member jurisdiction of IRP and IFTA and register Mexican motor carriers under the terms of the agreements and will provide the FMCSA and the States the opportunity to work towards a reciprocity arrangement with Mexico for U.S. carriers that will operate in Mexico. The resultant contract is anticipated to be Time-and-Material Contract Type. NAICS CODE: 541614 PRODUCT CODE: R406 COMPETITION: Full and Open Competition; Unrestricted. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS The documents applicable to this solicitation can be viewed at: http://govworks.gov/gov/vendor/csolicit.asp The full text of these provisions and clauses are available at: http://www.arnet.gov/far/ CLOSING DATE: November 30, 2005 TIME: By no later than 3:00 PM EASTERN STANDARD TIME Offerors must submit both Technical and Price Quotes (separate volumes) via email to the Contracting Officer, Don Abamonte at: contact@example.gov by the closing date of this solicitation. NOTE: Due to e-mail server and pipeline limitations, please limit the size of each e-mail with attachments to 3 MB. If the offeror does not have to access to email, offers must be mailed to: National Business Center/GovWorks 381 Elden Street, MS 2500 Herndon, VA 20170-4203 ATTN: Donald Abamonte Please be advised that GovWorks is located in a secure building. If offers are hand delivered, please ensure the courier is instructed to use the courtesy phone in the rear of the lobby (to the right of the elevators) to call the Point of Contact listed above on extension 7-1278. A staff member will meet the courier to receive the submittal. If you have questions regarding this solicitation, please submit your inquiries immediately via email by no later than November 14, 2005, to contact@example.gov. Please be advised that the Government reserves the right to transmit those questions and answers of a common interest to all prospective offerors. STATEMENT OF WORK: MEDICAL EXAMINER PERFORMANCE STUDY I. Overview The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was established as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000, pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. The Agency?s primary mission is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. This multi-method research project, examining medical examiner performance, will impact the Agency?s regulatory guidance and policy governing the physical qualifications of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators, and will complement the curriculum development and testing activities in the proposed National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (refer to http://www.nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/). II. Background The Agency estimates that there are approximately 10 to 11 million drivers subject to the FMCSA?s medical standards and advisory criteria. A medical certificate is typically valid for 2 years after the date of examination, so it is estimated that a minimum of 3-4 million medical examinations are conducted year. Medical examinations may be performed more frequently if deemed necessary by the medical examiner or required for the CMV driver who holds a Federal medical exemption, intrastate medical exemption or other special status. The United States Congress, National Transportation Safety Board and many other prominent organizations have expressed significant interest in improving the quality of the interstate CMV driver physical qualification examination. There has been no research to date that directly examines the role and performance of medical examiners who determine the physical qualifications of CMV drivers in the United States. Medical examiners are the medical and osteopathic doctors, physician assistants, chiropractors and advance practice nurses who perform these driver examinations. The relevant FMCSRs and Medical Conference Reports are available on-line via http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/medical.htm . III. Statement of Work The project goals are to improve scientific guidance on medical examiner performance issues that impact interstate CMV operator health and safety, and to inform associated Agency policies and programs. Specific objectives are now described. The contractor shall: 1. Evaluate medical examiner performance and outcomes associated with the physical qualification examination for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators; 2. Compare medical examiner methods and outcomes by profession (medical doctor, osteopath, chiropractor, physician assistant and advance practiced nurse); 3. Provide data (practice, profession) regarding medical examiner delegates (e.g., nurse aide, medical assistant); and 4. Recommend improvements in the physical examination process for CMV operators. The contractor shall conduct multi-method study conducted on-site in different, common settings where commercial motor vehicle driver physical examinations are performed. Using simple survey, participant observer and other relevant research methodologies, medical examiners will be directly interviewed and observed before, during and after the CMV operator physical examination process. The research design will focus on key elements of the performance of the physical qualifications examination, based on data-driven clinical decision-making models that address reliability and validity and feasibility. Partners will include medical and relevant health provider associations, occupational health providers and motor carriers. Study sites (locations of on-site observation) will be determined by FMCSA based on relevance to interstate CMV operator health and safety, geographic and socioeconomic diversity and other relevant factors. FMCSA has relationships with organizations that will grant access to researchers who conduct this study (e.g., Concentra Health Care and other occupational medicine clinics, J.B. Hunt, Schneider) although the contractor may offer site location recommendations. IV. Task Description FMCSA will provide data to the contractor and any additional relevant information that may become available. The contractor may access large truck and bus safety and other relevant information found in the Commercial Driver License Information System (CDLIS) and other FMCSA databases (refer to http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/mcspa.asp). The contractor shall perform in accordance with the statement of work. The contractor shall provide the personnel, equipment, materials and facilities to respond to various support required to complete each task order. There are four tasks for the contractor to perform. These tasks are: Task 1. Perform written or oral survey of medical examiners, focusing on essential elements of the physical examination and discovery of problems associated with the examination process. The survey can be a significant representative sample of the different practitioner types assessing knowledge of key elements required for CMV driver certification to operate in interstate commerce (e.g., sociodemographic, key health indicators ad medical condition information such as health history); Task 2. Conduct participant observer study (and relevant study method(s)), gathering data regarding medical examiner practice (including outcome and practice data by examiner profession). The contractor will observer FMCSA medical examiners on site (e.g., trucking companies, private occupational medicine practice); Task 3. Analyze general data regarding medical examiner practice in the United States, using relevant transportation safety, census and health data sources (to provide an update of CMV driver health and safety); and Task 4. Provide briefing(s) with final report (and database), including recommendations for process and policy improvements regarding the physical examination process for CMV drivers who operate in interstate commerce. V. Deliverables (D) The contractor shall be responsible for these meetings and reports: A. Start-up meeting: Within 30 days of contract award, the contractor shall meet with the COTR and other interested FMCSA personnel, to address any administrative matters and to refine (as needed) the contractor?s technical approach to fulfilling the task order requirements. B. Progress reports/action plans: Will be submitted to the COTR by the 15th of each month. C. Final Briefing: In accordance with the Milestone and Deliverables Schedule of this statement of work, the contractor shall meet with the COTR at FMCSA Headquarters, Washington, DC to provide a briefing to discuss the final results of each task order. The contractor shall also present any recommendations, comments, and suggestions to further enhance FMCSA?s medical program. VI. Milestones (M) The contractor must provide a preliminary draft work plan (analysis) within 60 days of the award date for each task order. FMCSA will provide comments and suggestions on the draft as appropriate. A final work (analysis) plan must be provided at the earliest date practical, but no later than 75 days post award date. The contractor must collect, analyze and summarize the data in a manner suitable for use and provide all data (Microsoft Excel, Access or software compatible format) to FMCSA at the conclusion of this project. M.1. Initial Meeting ? The contractor will meet at the Agency with COTR to discuss the research plan within 30 days of contract award. M.2. D.1. The contractor must provide a preliminary draft work plan (analysis) within 60 days of the award date. FMCSA will provide comments and suggestions on the draft as appropriate. M.3., D.2. A final work (analysis) plan must be provided at the earliest date practical, but no later than 75 days post award date. D.3. Conduct research. The will begin the conduction of research within 120 days of contract award. M.4.D.4. Preliminary Report of Findings: The contractor will provide a written report of findings, including summaries of qualitative and quantitative analyses within 240-280 days of the award date. This draft will be reviewed and revised as directed by the COTR. M.5. Agency Briefing: The contractor will provide an oral briefing at Agency headquarters within 325 days of the award date. M.6.D.5. Final Report: The contractor will provide an oral presentation and 100 copies of the Final Report and the complete summary of report findings in pdf for web placement and downloading within 365 days of the award date. This table describes the deliverables and milestones the contractor shall provide to FMCSA?s COTR/designated Contract Officer. Milestone (M) Deliverable (D) Number TASK Due Date* (After Contract Award) M.1 Initial Meeting 30 days M.2, D.1 Draft Work/Analysis Plan 60 days M.3, D.2 Final Work/Analysis Plan** 75 days M.4, D.3 Conduct Research 120-240 days M.5, D.4 Preliminary Report of Findings 240-280 days M.5 Agency Briefing 325 days M.6, D.5 Final Report 365 days Notes: *The contractor will incorporate 15 days for Agency (COTR) review of all work plans, reports and other relevant documents within the work schedule. ** If Office of Budget and Management approval is required, the work schedule will be adjusted accordingly. VII. Period of Performance The period of performance is 12 months from the date of award. VIII. Skills, Qualifications and Labor Categories The contractor shall provide appropriate personnel to perform the research design and analysis, and at a minimum, will employ one doctorally trained scientific consultant and one experienced data analyst on the project team. The scientific consultant or project director must have a Ph.D. in a clinical or relevant science and experience in performing research; or can have a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy from a school in the United States or Canada approved by a recognized accrediting body in the year of the applicant?s graduation. The data analyst must have five years of relevant research experience with graduate training preferred (e.g., Masters degree in Public Health). The project team will consist of appropriate administrative support staff to perm the task (e.g., data entry personnel). The research team leader (doctorally trained scientific consultant or project director) should have at least five years experience in conducting research, as demonstrated by a record of scientific dissemination (e.g., presentation at professional and scientific meetings, publication in peer-reviewed literature, past experience with Federal research projects). IX. Submission of Invoices Invoices are to be submitted to the Agency on the 15th of every month with the progress report and action plan for each task order. Due to increased security concerns, U.S. Mail sent to FMCSA must receive special handling. As a result, receipt of U.S. Mail can be delayed. To avoid delays in processing of invoices, it is strongly suggested that invoices be transmitted via commercial express shipment (e.g. FEDEX), or hand-carried to the FMCSA Headquarters. Three signed and dated copies of invoices shall be submitted to the following address: FMCSA, MC-PSP, Physical Qualifications Division 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 8301 Washington, D.C. 20590 Attn: Linda Phillips FMCSA Contracting Officer?s Technical Representatives COTR Contact: Linda Phillips, +1 (555) 000-0000, contact@example.gov Co-COTR Contact: Maggi Gunnels, +1 (555) 000-0000, contact@example.gov Contractor must courtesy copy the secondary FMCSA contact on all e-mail communications to the primary contact. If the primary contact is unavailable, contractor must communicate directly with the secondary contact and courtesy copy the primary contact on all e-mails. FMCSA Contracting Officer?s Technical Representative FMCSA, MC-PSP, Physical Qualifications Division 400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 8301 Washington, DC 20590 Attn: Linda Phillips X. Additional Clauses As prescribed in (TAR) 48 CFR 1242.203-70(b) and 1252.242-71 Contractor testimony, the following clause is made a part of this contract. Contractor Testimony (Oct 1994) All requests for the testimony of the Contractor or its employees, and any intention to testify as an expert witness relating to: (a) any work required by, and/or performed under, this contract; or (b) any information provided by any party to assist the Contractor in the performance of this contract, shall be immediately reported to the Contracting Officer. Neither the Contractor nor its employees shall testify on a matter related to work performed or information provided under this contract, either voluntarily or pursuant to a request, in any judicial or administrative proceeding unless approved by the Contracting Officer or requested by a judge in a final court order. As prescribed in (TAR) 48 CFR 1242.203-70 and 1252.242-72 Dissemination of contract information, the following clause is made part of this contract. Dissemination of Contract Information (Oct 1994) The contractor shall not publish, permit to be published, or distribute for public consumption, {except as required by Task order}, any information, oral or written, concerning the results or conclusions made pursuant to the performance of this contract, without the prior written consent of the Contracting Officer. Two copies of any material proposed to be published or distributed shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer. Evaluation Criteria The Government shall award a task order resulting from this Request for Quotation (RFQ) to the responsible vendor whose quotation conforming to the RFQ shall be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Quotation shall be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation factors listed below. Technical Capability ? 1. Experience and Capability: This shall include the vendor?s experience in reviewing complex environmental analyses such as environmental impacts statements and conformity evaluations; experience in ensuring client compliance with environmental laws and regulations; and experience in environmental litigation. 2. Approach: This shall include the vendor?s proposed approach to performing the tasks under the Statement of Work. The approach shall demonstrate how the vendor will produce the deliverables in a timely way. 3. Resumes of individuals performing the work. This shall include a summary of the individual?s academic background; legal or other work experience related to environmental laws; and any publications on environmental topics. Past Performance? 4. Past Performance ? References shall be used to obtain information regarding performance on previous contracts or efforts. Past performance information may also be obtained from other sources known to the FMCSA. The past performance information may include the vendor?s record of providing high quality services in a timely manner; complying with travel regulations, and the standards of good workmanship; adhering to contract schedules, including the administrative aspects of contract performance; overall personnel quality, availability, and stability; reasonable and cooperative behavior; commitment to and business-like concern for the interests of the customer. Price? 5. The Contracting Officer shall evaluate the fairness and reasonableness of the total proposed firm-fixed price. This evaluation will include an assessment pf the fairness and reasonableness of (1) the number of labor hours; (2) the fully loaded hourly rates; (3) mix of labor categories to be used in each task reflected in the quotation. Trade Off Process It may be in the Government?s best interest to award to other than the lowest priced quotation orother than the highest technically rated quotation. The process may include trade-offs amongcost/price and non-cost factors and allows the Government to accept other than the lowest priced quotation if the perceived benefits of the higher priced quotation are determined to merit the additional cost. Past Performance and Technical Capabilities when combined are significantly more important than price/cost.