A. Amendment 2 questions

75H70527R00001

AMENDMENT 00002

QUESTIONS

1. STAT turnaround time (PWS 4 and 7.h). PWS requires STAT studies to be finalized, signed, and available in the IHS EHR within 30 minutes, with 95% compliance. We respectfully ask the Government to consider a 60-minute STAT standard, for the following reasons: Volume growth and the time needed to add radiologists. VetMed currently has 23 Minnesota-licensed radiologists credentialed at IHS Bemidji. As imaging volume and STAT demand grow, VetMed will continue adding radiologists. Each new radiologist must obtain a Minnesota license and then complete IHS credentialing and privileging (at least 90 days per PWS 9.d) before reading. A 60-minute standard protects 95% compliance during volume surges and overnight while that added capacity is brought on. Consistency with other IHS and VA contracts. Phoenix Area IHS RFP 75H71226R00001 uses 60 minutes for STAT, and VA RFQ 36C25726Q0522 was amended to 1 hour. Patient safety is protected. All reports are final reads. Critical findings would still be called to the site clinician immediately, and stroke-protocol studies would still be prioritized for interpretation within 15 minutes. The Government has updated the STAT read to be 30 minutes preferred, 60 minutes required. 2. Option Year Two quantities. The amended B.5 Bid Schedule lists Option Year Two (CLINs 0013–0018) as 8,550 General Radiology, 1,920 Ultrasound, 4,450 CT, and 1,155 Mammography. All other periods use the PWS figures (10,500 / 2,500 / 2,400 / 1,100). Please confirm whether Option Year Two should match the other periods. Yes, Option Year Two should be the same estimated quantities as the Base and other Option Years listed. 3. Echocardiogram interpreters. Echocardiograms are typically read by cardiologists rather than radiologists. Under PWS 5.c, may echocardiogram studies be interpreted by a board-certified cardiologist (as a VetMed employee or subcontractor), and must that physician also hold a Minnesota license? Echocardiograms will not be required to be read at either facility. 4. Mammography monitor physicist testing (PWS 8.e). Please confirm whether “physicist quality control testing” refers to the annual medical physicist evaluation of the contractor’s mammography diagnostic workstations, to be provided to each facility quarterly. If something additional is expected, please describe it. Yes, this is correct. Nothing additional is expected. 5. Section 508 Product Assessment Template. For this services contract, is the HHS Section 508 Product Assessment Template required with the proposal, or is a narrative description of Section 508 conformance enough? An HHS Checklist can be used to attest to Section 508 conformance.