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On behalf of the Memphis VA Medical Center, Network Contracting Office (NCO) 9 is issuing this Sources Sought Notice (SSN) as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support this requirement for a firm-fixed-priced purchase order to provide a two-day training session on peripheral nerve blocks and ultrasound guided regional anesthesia for the Certified Registered Nurses Anesthetist (CRNAs). The contractor must be certified to give training to CRNAs and provide proof of certification before award. The result of this market research will contribute to determining the method of procurement. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code assigned to this procurement is 611430 Professional and Management Development.

THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AT THIS TIME. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for bids, proposals, or quotes; submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary; and the government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred.

If your organization has the potential capacity to perform these services, please provide the following information:

Organization name, address, point of contact, email address, web site address, and telephone number.

Business size: small, small disadvantaged, woman-owned, Hub Zone, serviced-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), veteran owned small business (VOSB), large business, etc.

Business type under NAICS 611430, which contains a size standard of 13.0 million, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code and System for Award Management (SAM) Unique Entity ID (UEI) number.

Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational, and staff capability.

Responses to this SSN shall not exceed 4 pages and should include all the foremost mentioned information. In addition, all submissions should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).

The government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to:

Provide services consistent in scope and scale with those described in this notice and otherwise anticipated.

Implement a successful plan that includes contractor compliance with program standards, quality control, and performance.

Provide services under a firm-fixed-price contract.

NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status shall be registered, and Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) verified in VetBiz Registry www.vetbiz.gov.

Based on the responses to this SSN/market research, this requirement may be set-aside for SDVOSBs, VOSBs, small businesses, procured through full and open competition, or sole sourced.

Submission Instructions: Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the services are invited to submit a response to this SSN by 5:00 PM EST, January 5, 2023. All responses under this SSN must be emailed to Carmen.hanczyk@va.gov . Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

SAM: Interested parties shall be register in the System for Award Management (SAM) as prescribed in Federal Acquisition Regulation Clause 52.232-33. SAM information can be obtained by accessing the internet at www.sam.gov or by calling 1-866-606-8220.

Disclaimer and Important Notes. This notice does not obligate the government to award a contract or otherwise pay for the information provided in response to this SSN. The government reserves the right to use information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate. Any organization responding to this notice should ensure that its response is complete and sufficiently detailed to allow the government to determine the organization s qualifications to perform the work. Respondents are advised that the government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. After a review of the responses received, a pre-solicitation synopsis and solicitation or combined solicitation may be published in Contract Opportunities (formerly Federal Business Opportunities or FBO). However, responses to this notice shall not be considered adequate responses to a solicitation.

Confidentiality. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s).

See SOW on the following page.

STATEMENT OF WORK
Service Contract for Ultrasound Guided Nerve Block training

GENERAL INFORMATION
INTRODUCTION - This requirement is for ultrasound guided nerve block training on site utilizing the facility s current ultrasound equipment and student models enabling the CRNA s to be skilled on the equipment they have at the Memphis VA.

The contract will be executed at the:
Memphis VA, Medical Center
1030 Jefferson Ave
Memphis, TN 38104-2127.

Working hours: 0730-1600, Monday - Friday

BACKGROUND Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks (USGPNB) are performed by various specialists and are excellent, non-addicting pain control techniques. Alternative pain management approaches are needed to combat opiate abuse. This training is in line with the VHA Pain Management Opioid Reduction Initiative. Training CRNAs in nerve blocks will diversify anesthesia techniques available analgesia with decreased opiate use throughout perioperative period.

SCOPE OF WORK Constrictor will furnish, provide, and perform the following

Provide a two-day training session on peripheral nerve blocks and ultrasound guided regional anesthesia for the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) onsite at the Memphis, VA.
The peripheral nerve blocks and ultrasound training should be tailored specific to the group s needs.
The two-day training will include informational presentations and a hands-on ultrasound lab.
The presentation is expected to be 4 hours each day, followed by a hands-on ultrasound lab experience in the afternoons.
Utilize the facility s current ultrasound equipment and other necessary equipment during the training.
Provide a projector to use during the presentation/training.
Train and educate of 15 CRNA staff members
Provide digital handout material.
File CEs to the AANA for CRNAs (within 5 Business days of the course completion).
Email certificates of attendance to each attendee (within 5 business days of course completion).
Use student models during training.

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:
Training dates February 11, 2023, and end February 12, 2023.

All Contractor workers are required to sign in and out at the VA Police Dispatch at the corresponding locations as directed by the COR or designee at each facility. A valid state driver s license or state identification card is mandatory for all employees to have access to these facilities. All contractor employees are required to wear the assigned VA badge always.

Normal business hours are 7:30AM to 4:30PM Monday thru Friday excluding Federal Holidays. Work completed outside this time shall be requested through the COR.

VA INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEM SECURITY/PRIVACY LANGUAGE FOR INCLUSION INTO CONTRACTS, AS APPROPRIATE

ACCESS TO VA INFORMATION AND VA INFORMATION SYSTEMS

All contractors, subcontractors, and third-party servicers and associates working with VA information are subject to the same investigative requirements as those of VA appointees or employees who have access to the same types of information. The level and process of background security investigations for contractors must be in accordance with VA Directive and Handbook 0710, Personnel Suitability and Security Program. The Office for Operations, Security, and Preparedness is responsible for these policies and procedures.

The contractor or subcontractor must notify the Contracting Officer immediately when an employee working on a VA system or with access to VA information is reassigned or leaves the contractor or subcontractor s employ. The Contracting Officer must also be notified immediately by the contractor or subcontractor prior to an unfriendly termination.
SECURITY INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

The term security incident means an event that has, or could have, resulted in unauthorized access to, loss or damage to VA assets, or sensitive information, or an action that breaches VA security procedures. The contractor/subcontractor shall immediately notify the COTR and simultaneously, the designated ISO and Privacy Officer for the contract of any known or suspected security/privacy incidents, or any unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, including that contained in system(s) to which the contractor/subcontractor has access.

To the extent known by the contractor/subcontractor, the contractor/subcontractor s notice to VA shall identify the information involved, the circumstances surrounding the incident (including to whom, how, when, and where the VA information or assets were placed at risk or compromised), and any other information that the contractor/subcontractor considers relevant.

With respect to unsecured protected health information, the business associate is deemed to have discovered a data breach when the business associate knew or should have known of a breach of such information. Upon discovery, the business associate must notify the covered entity of the breach. Notifications need to be made in accordance with the executed business associate agreement.

In instances of theft or break-in or other criminal activity, the contractor/subcontractor must concurrently report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement entity (or entities) of jurisdiction, including the VA OIG and Security and Law Enforcement. The contractor, its employees, and its subcontractors and their employees shall cooperate with VA and any law enforcement authority responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any possible criminal law violation(s) associated with any incident. The contractor/subcontractor shall cooperate with VA in any civil litigation to recover VA information, obtain monetary or other compensation from a third party for damages arising from any incident or obtain injunctive relief against any third party arising from, or related to, the incident.
LIQUIDATED DAMAGES FOR DATA BREACH

Consistent with the requirements of 38 U.S.C. §5725, a contract may require access to sensitive personal information. If so, the contractor is liable to VA for liquidated damages in the event of a data breach or privacy incident involving any SPI the contractor/subcontractor processes or maintains under this contract.

The contractor/subcontractor shall provide notice to VA of a security incident as set forth in the Security Incident Investigation section above. Upon such notification, VA must secure from a non-Department entity or the VA Office of Inspector General an independent risk analysis of the data breach to determine the level of risk associated with the data breach for the potential misuse of any sensitive personal information involved in the data breach. The term 'data breach' means the loss, theft, or other unauthorized access, or any access other than that incidental to the scope of employment, to data containing sensitive personal information, in electronic or printed form, that results in the potential compromise of the confidentiality or integrity of the data. Contractor shall fully cooperate with the entity performing the risk analysis. Failure to cooperate may be deemed a material breach and grounds for contract termination.

Each risk analysis shall address all relevant information concerning the data breach, including the following:

Nature of the event (loss, theft, unauthorized access);

Description of the event, including:

date of occurrence;

data elements involved, including any PII, such as full name, social security number, date of birth, home address, account number, disability code;

Number of individuals affected or potentially affected;

Names of individuals or groups affected or potentially affected;

Ease of logical data access to the lost, stolen or improperly accessed data in light of the degree of protection for the data, e.g., unencrypted, plain text;
Amount of time the data has been out of VA control;

The likelihood that the sensitive personal information will or has been compromised (made accessible to and usable by unauthorized persons);

Known misuses of data containing sensitive personal information, if any;

Assessment of the potential harm to the affected individuals;

Data breach analysis as outlined in 6500.2 Handbook, Management of Security and Privacy Incidents, as appropriate; and

Whether credit protection services may assist record subjects in avoiding or mitigating the results of identity theft based on the sensitive personal information that may have been compromised.

Based on the determinations of the independent risk analysis, the contractor shall be responsible for paying to the VA liquidated damages in the amount of $37.50 per affected individual to cover the cost of providing credit protection services to affected individuals consisting of the following:

Notification;

One year of credit monitoring services consisting of automatic daily monitoring of at least 3 relevant credit bureau reports;

Data breach analysis;

Fraud resolution services, including writing dispute letters, initiating fraud alerts and credit freezes, to assist affected individuals to bring matters to resolution;

One year of identity theft insurance with $20,000.00 coverage at $0 deductible; and

Necessary legal expenses the subjects may incur to repair falsified or damaged credit records, histories, or financial affairs.

TRAINING

In order for you to engage in your work at VA, you are required to ensure all contractors who will be working on the contract complete a mandatory training program titled VA Privacy Training for Personnel without Access to VA Computer Systems or VA Sensitive Information (VA20939). This training is offered through the VA Talent Management System (TMS), a system that offers web-based training to VA employees and its partners. Contractor employee will self-enroll for a TMS training profile on the VA TMS by visiting https://www.tms.va.gov/SecureAuth35/.
Once there, the employee will follow the steps that follow to create a profile, launch the mandatory training, and complete the content prior to their next day at VA. Upon completion by all employees, the contractor shall provide their Contracting Officer Representative (COR) with each employee s printed certificate of training completion from the TMS. This certificate displays the employee s TMS User ID.

Failure to complete the mandatory within the timeframe required, is grounds for suspension or termination of all physical or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training and documents are complete.

The Authorization requirements do not apply, and that a Security Accreditation Package is not required.

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