Federal Supply Schedules for Medical Staffing Services

1
Federal Supply Schedules for Medical Staffing
Services

• And the Mysteries of the Service Contract Act (VA)

2
What is the FSS 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.

3
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.
4
What is the FSS Program?

• Structure
• Product/Service Groups delineated by Federal
  Supply Class (FSC)/Product Service Codes (PSC).
• 65 66 medical-related
• 621 medical service-related
• Products/Services also further delineated by
  Special Item Numbers (SIN) and Subcategories.

5
Federal Supply Schedule Service Overview
of the VA Schedules Program

• 65 I B - Drugs and Pharmaceutical-related
  Products
• 65 II A - Medical Equipment and Supplies
• 65 II C - Dental Equipment and Supplies
• 65 II F - Patient Mobility Devices
• 65 V A - X-Ray Film, Equipment and Supplies
• 65 VII - Diagnostic, Reagents, Test Kits and Sets
• 66 III -Cost-Per-Test for Clinical Laboratory
  Analyzers
• 621 I Professional and Allied Healthcare
  Staffing Services
• 621 II Medical Laboratory Testing and Analysis
  Services

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Overview of VA Federal Supply Schedule Program

• Multiple Award Schedule
• Open and Continuous Solicitation
• IDIQ Contracts w/EPA
• Contracts are 5 years w/5 option years (except
  65IB Pharmaceuticals)
• Pre-negotiated Pricing Terms
• Electronic Tools shared with GSA

7
Overview of VA Federal Supply Schedule Program

• Benefits 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.

8
Overview of VA Federal Supply Schedule Program

• Benefits for Agencies
• Prices have already been determined fair and
  reasonable.
• All ordering activities, large or small, even
  those in remote locations, are provided with
  quality service or product.
• Shorter lead-times, lower administrative costs.

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INTRODUCTION TO FSS 621I

• Services Professional and Allied Healthcare
  Care Staffing
• Provides customer with on site staffing options
• Sold commercially at hourly rates
• 58 general categories of healthcare occupations
• Classified by Special Item Numbers (SINs)
• Further broken down into sub-categories(approxima
  tely 150 total)

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Geographic Coverage
• Past experience in state
• Technical Evaluation
• Malpractice of Insurance (at least 1 million per
  claim/3 million aggregate)
• Shared policies not accepted

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Recruitment and Retention
• Substitution/Replacement Policy
• Corporate experience
• Qualification of Personnel
• Experience/License/Certifications
• Past performance

12
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Healthcare Staffing Services
• Physicians
• Allied Healthcare
• Service Geographic Scope
• Nationwide
• State specific (at least one entire state)

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FSS 621 I PROFESSIONAL ALLIED HEALTHCARE
STAFFING SERVICES

• Supplemental and Per-Diem Staffing
• Long Term Requirements
• Day to Day Needs
• Malpractice Insurance
• Services Provided at Government Healthcare
  Facilities
• Over 280 contracts currently

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Types of Labor Categories
• Physicians/Surgeons
• Registered Nurses (General and Specialized)
• Pharmacists/Pharmacy Technicians
• Counseling Related Services
• Dental
• Radiologic Technology
• Medical Assistants and Technicians
• Ophthalmic Services
• Physicians/Surgeons
• Physicians/Surgeons
• Registered Nurses (General and Specialized)
• Radiologic Technology

15
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Negotiated Terms under FSS 621I
• FSS Net Ceiling Price
• Hourly Not to Exceed Rates
• Excludes travel and lodging
• Shift Differentials
• Nights, Evenings and Weekends
• Holiday Rates (all federal holidays)

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Overtime Rates
• Payment Terms
• Minimum Order
• Minimum Qualifications
• Background Investigation Levels
• Credit Card Acceptance (above the micro-purchase
  threshold)
• Work Week
• On-Call/Call Back Terms

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• For Services - Customer Ordering Procedures FAR
  8.405-2 applies
• Requires Statement of Work (SOW)
• SOW shall contain the following
• Location
• Period of Performance
• Deliverable Schedule
• Applicable performance standards
• Any special requirements (ex. Travel, security
  clearances, special knowledge and etc.)

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Ordering under FAR 8.405-2

• Performance Work Statement (PWS)
• PWS can be prepared by the Government or
• Prepared by offeror in response the Government
  Statement of Objectives (S00)
• Measurable Performance Standards
• Method(s) of Accessing Performance
• Performance Incentives (where appropriate)
• In accordance with FAR Part 12
• To encourage competitors to develop and institute
  innovative and cost-effective methods of
  performing

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Ordering under FAR 8.405-2

• Small business set asides are not permitted
• Ordering agencies may take credit for
  socio-economic status
• May consider socio-economic status when
  identifying contractor(s) for consideration
• Task orders (like BPAs) can extend beyond the
  term of the contract
• Provided there are option periods that (if
  exercised) would cover the term of the order
• Contact FSS Contracting Officer to ensure that
  the contract has been extended

20

• Contractor Teaming Agreements (CTA) - meets
  Government agency needs on orders by combining
  supplies and/or services from team members with
  separate FSS contracts

21
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services
22
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services
(Dollars are in millions)
23
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services
24
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services
25
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Service Contract Act/Fair Labor Standard Act
  Requirements
• Requires contractors and subcontractors
  performing federal service contracts over 2,500
  to observe minimum wages, health and welfare
  fringe benefits and other employment standards
• Applicable for all allied healthcare labor
  categories wages
• Managed nationally under the basic FSS
• contract

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Requirements of SCA

• Service Contract Act
• SCA became effective in January 1966 and amended
  in 1972 and 1976
• SCA is the most recent of government contract
  labor standard laws administered by the Wage and
  Hour Division (WHD)
• Payment of FLSA minimum wage for federal service
  contracts of 2,500 or less is 6.55 per hr.
  Effective 7/24/09 will increase to 7.25.

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Requirements of SCA

• Most Federal service contracts in excess of
  2,500 must contain the labor standards clauses
  and
• Minimum monetary wages and fringe benefits
  determined by the Secretary of Labor
• Record keeping - Posting requirements
• Safety and health provisions (29 CFR 1925)
• Statement of rates paid to Federal employees

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FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Definition of Service Contract (FAR 22.1001)
• Principal purpose furnish services in U.S.
• Exemptions (FAR 22.1003)
• Definition of Service Employee - contracts(29
  CFR Part 541)
• Coverage by subcontractors

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Professional Exemption?

• 3 General Categories
• High-level professionals (Physicians)
• (Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and Service
  Contract Act (SCA) do not apply
• Mid-level professionals (Pharmacists, RNs)
  (FLSA and SCA do apply)
• Lower-level professionals (Nursing, Dental
  Assistants, other) (FLSA and SCA do apply)

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Solutions

• Concept
• Identify commercial occupations
• Requirements of SCA Incorporated at the National
  Level
• Incorporate DoL Wage Determinations (WD) into FSS
  at national contract level
• Update wages annually on FY
• All Orders, BPAs and Option Periods
• Cross walk commercial occupations to SCA
  Occupational Index Codes

31
FSS 621 I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• October 1, 2006 SCA Clauses Incorporated into
  Sch 621I
• January 1, 2007 US DoL WDs incorporated into
  FSS nationwide
• US DoL WDs and Health Welfare fringe benefits
  are updated each year anniversary date of October
  lst
• (FAR 22.1007)

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FSS 621I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• October lst Each Fiscal Year
• All FSS 621I Contracts are modified at the FSS
  Contract Level to incorporate the updated SCA
  WDs and HW benefits
• The new SCA rates are effective from October lst
  through September 30th for all new task orders
• WDs in effect on October lst apply for the
  entire year (even if the WD is revised by the
  Department of Labor (DOL) during the Fiscal Year)
• For existing orders, the new SCA rates/WDs will
  be effective the next option is exercised
• The new SCA rates are effective from October lst
  through September 30th for all new task orders
• effectiveOctober lst each fiscal year SCA updated
  on all FSS 621I Contracts are modified at the FSS
  Contract Level

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FSS 621I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• For existing orders, the new SCA rates/WDs will
  be effective the next option is exercised
• The WDs in effect October lst applies once the
  option is exercised - until the next option
  period.
• FSS 621I Solicitation is amended to incorporate
  the new updated WDs/HW

34
The Challenges of Where We Have Been

• Industry
• Updating Systems
• Pricing
• Educating Customers
• Resistance
• Price Adjustments addressed - identifying
  parallel categories

35
Lessons Learned

• Educating Customers
• Price Adjustments
• Timing of Orders
• Consistency

36
FSS 621I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• Educating our Customers
• Recommend CO to compare the functional
  descriptions of the work with SCA Directory of
  Occupations
• Ensure consistency with FSS matches
• If found inconsistent recommend
• Federal Acquisition Part 22.10
• SCA Director of Occupations (5th ed)
• Federal Classification and Job Grading Systems
• DOL Wage Determinations Online
• DOL Agency Labor Advisors
• DOL SCA Library

37
FSS 621I Professional Allied Healthcare
Staffing Services

• How to obtain assistance with SCA
• FSS 621I Help Desk Home Page
• Current WDs available for download
• 621I Labor Category Classification Published
• Other SCA Guidance
• DOL Emergency Wage Determination Hotline
  202-693-0073

38
What is Next?

• A team has been formed to establish consistency
  across the MAS Program in the application of SCA
• Team intends to update policies and procedures
• New proposed CSP disclosures

39
Federal Supply Schedule 66 III

• COST PER TEST SERVICES
• All inclusive solution provides everything needed
  to produce a valid test result
• Pricing Options
• Priced Cost Per Test
• Priced Cost Per Reportable Result

40
Federal Supply Schedule 66 III

• Pricing includes
• Leasing Costs of Equipment
• For chemistry, coagulation, urinalysis,
  microbiology, and immunochemistry
• Reagents, Standards, Controls, Consumables
• End User Training
• Maintenance Support
• Delivery Installation
• outright purchase of equipment is under GSA
  Schedule 66IIN

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Negotiated Terms under FSS 66 III

• Cost-per-Test (CPT) Prices
• Cost-per-Reportable-Result (CPRR) Pricing
• Incremental Analyzers
• Accessories / Options
• Geographic Coverage
• Billing Procedures
• Payment Terms

• TrainingDelivery Times / Terms
• Maintenance Support
• 24/7 Emergency Repairs
• Standard Business Hour Repairs Available
• Minimum Order
• Credit Card Acceptance Terms

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Federal Supply Schedule 621 II

• REFERENCE LABOROTORY TESTING ANALYSIS SERVICES
• Includes
• Transportation of Specimens
• Performance of Tests Reporting of Test Results
• Consultative Services
• All Necessary Supplies
• Service and Maintenance (of communication
  equipment used to deliver test results)

43
Reference Laboratory 621 II Negotiated terms

• Discount / Net Prices Per Test
• Turn Around Time (TAT)
• STAT Expedited Turn Around Time
• Holiday Charges
• Workweek
• Payment Credit Card Acceptance Terms
• Minimum Order
• Geographic Coverage

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FSS Service Point of Contacts

• Help Desk
• 708-786-7722helpdesk.fss621i_at_va.gov

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FSS Service Point of Contacts

• Dore Fessler
• Assistant Director for FSS
• [phone]
• Linda Smith
• Schedule Manager
• 621 I Professional and Allied Healthcare
  Staffing Services
• [phone]
• Andrew Morgan
• Schedule Manager
• 66 II Cost Per Test
• 621 II Medical Laboratory Testing and Analysis
  Services
• [phone]

46
Assistance for FSS Supply Contracts

• Help Desk Assistance
• Supply Contracts
• 708-786-7737
• Helpdesk.ammhinfss_at_va.gov

47
FSS Supply Point of Contacts

• Paul Skalman
• Assistant Director for FSS
• [phone]
• Monee Robinson
• Schedule Manager 65IIA Medical Equipment
  Supplies
• [phone]

48
FSS Supply Point of Contacts

• Cheryl Ward-Roberts
• Assistant Director for FSS
• [phone]
• Lynda ONeil
• Schedule Manager
• 65IIC Dental Equipment Supplies
• 65 II F - Patient Mobility Devices
• [phone]
• William Satterfield
• Schedule Manager
• 65 I B - Drugs and Pharmaceutical-related
  Products
• 65 VII - Diagnostic, Reagents, Test Kits and Sets
• [phone]

49
Federal Supply Schedule Service

• Carole OBrien
• Director, Federal Supply Schedule Service
• [phone]

50
Questions and Open Discussion
51
Thank You!