H--Albuquerque New Mexico VA Healthcare System -Health Radiation Physicist

This is a SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT ONLY. It is neither a solicitation announcement nor a request for proposals or quotes and does not obligate the Government to award a contract. Requests for a solicitation will not receive a response. Responses to this Sources Sought must be in writing. The purpose of this sources sought announcement is for market research to make appropriate acquisition decisions and to gain knowledge of potential qualified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses and Veteran Owned Small Businesses interested and capable of providing the services described below. Documentation of technical expertise must be presented in sufficient detail for the Government to determine that your company possesses the necessary functional area expertise and experience to compete for this acquisition. NAICS Code: 541990-All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services PSC: H165-Quality Control-Medical, Dental, and Veterinary Equipment and Supplies Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) Company Name (b) Address (c) Point of Contact (d) Phone, fax, and email (e) DUNS number (f) Cage Code (g) Tax ID Number (h) Type of small business, e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned small Business, Veteran-Owned Small Business, Small Business or Large Business (i) must provide a capability statement that addresses the organizations qualifications and ability to perform as a contractor for the work described below. Responses to this notice shall include the following: (a) Company name (b) Point of contact (c) Phone and email (d) Type of small business, e.g. Services Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Veteran-owned Small Business, Small Business or Large Business The New Mexico VA Healthcare System located in Albuquerque, New Mexico has a requirement for a Health Radiation Physicist to perform quality control surveys and certifications of radiographic equipment services. The contractor shall furnish all labor, material, supplies, equipment and qualified personnel to provide on-site Radiation Physicist services. Perform radiation protection surveys to ensure compliance with the current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), American College of Radiology (ACR), and Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) requirements. Change of times or dates must be coordinated with the above- mentioned department at least one week in advance. Provide written report of results to Radiology Service/Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) within five (5) working days of performance of the survey. B. Review and analyze radiation exposure records, including Nuclear Medicine Service, Radiology Service, and ancillary services which have radiation workers and provide appropriate recommendation to reduce exposure to ALARA. Provide results to Imaging Service and RSO within five (5) working days after review. To include initial testing of new and replacement x-ray imaging equipment, prior to first clinical use, as well as testing after repairs that may affect X-ray output or image quality. C. Perform radiation safety inspections on all imaging equipment providing final reports to Imaging Service/RSO within 5 days of completion of survey. D. Provide consultation for additional services as needed, i.e., safety training. E. Review Computed Tomography (CT) protocol optimization once a year. F. Provide shielding design calculations for each new or replacement x-ray imaging system. The calculations for each shall conform to National Council on Radiation Protection & Measurements (NCRP) Report No. 147 or, for dental units, NCRP Report 145 and shall be documented in a written report, which includes a to-scale diagram showing adjacent areas. G. Establish a skin dose program. H. Review the radiation safety programs for all applicable services during each site visit. I. Evaluate technical Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC) program (technique charts, repeat/reject analysis, monitoring, monitoring of exposure indices to radiographic image receptors, QA program for display monitors, QA of CT, monitoring of dose metrics from fluoro studies) annually. J. The contractor shall comply with all State and Federal rules, laws and regulations and maintain compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), The Joint Commission (TJC), ACR, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and MQSA. K. The contractor shall ensure referenced equipment meets NRC/TJC compliance and all Federal and State rules, regulations and laws. 3. Radiation Survey: Contractor shall conduct quality control surveys and certifications of the radiographic equipment listed below. The Contractor shall ensure the radiographic equipment s compliance with applicable federal and state regulatory requirements, and shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring the following basic performance characteristics: A. All stationary, and mobile x-ray radiographic units, including dental units: 1) kV accuracy and reproducibility 2) Beam quality assessment (HVL) 3) Linearity of output as a function of mA and /or mAs 4) X-Ray Output 5) Tube Head leakage 6) Focal Spot Size 7) Scatter Radiation 8) Timer Accuracy 9) Reproducibility 10) Automatic exposure control performance 11) Entrance exposures for a phantom representing a standard patient and comparison to diagnostic reference levels 12) Collimation and beam alignment 13) Entrance Exposure Rate 14) Evaluation of grids for mobile radiographic units 15) Artifact Evaluation 16) For Direct Radiography (DR) radiographic systems, accuracy of exposure index B. Computed Radiography (CR): 1) Relative Sensitivity Calibration Test 2) Shading Test 3) Contrast Evaluation 4) Sharpness Test 5) Laser Jitter Test 6) Image Noise/Artifact Test 7) Primary Erasure of Imaging Plate Test 8) Accuracy of Measurement Tools/Scale Test 9) System Linearity Test 10) Exposure index (International Electrotechnical Commision (IEC) or proprietary, e.g., S Number) Calibration C. For CT Scanners: The testing shall substantially conform to the 2012 ACR Computed Tomography Quality Control Manual. The testing of dosimetry shall include verification of the accuracy of displayed CTDIvol values. 1) Review of Clinical Protocols 2) Scout Prescriptions and alignment Light Accuracy 3) Image Thickness Axial Mode 4) Table Travel Accuracy 5) Radiation Beam Width 6) Low-Contrast Performance 7) Spatial Resolution 8) CT Number Accuracy 9) Artifact Evaluation 10) CT Number Uniformity 11) Dosimetry 12) Gray Level Performance of CT Acquisition Display Monitors D. Fluoroscopes (Including, Interventional Radiology/Cardiac Catherization Lab, Electrophysiology (Ep) Lab, And Mobile C-Arms): 1) kVp accuracy and reproducibility 2) Beam Quality 3) Linearity 4) Reproducibility 5) Automatic exposure rate control performance 6) Fluoroscopy output (exposure rate or dose rate) for a phantom representing a standard patient 7) Fluoroscopy maximum dose rate 8) Collimator alignment 9) Safety evaluation 10) Cine output exposure rate or dose rate for a standard patient and maximum rate 11) High contrast spatial resolution 12) Low contrast spatial resolution 13) Image artifacts 14) Display monitor performance 15) Accuracy of indicated radiation doses metrics (air kerma at the reference point and Kerma Area Product (KAP)) Output for a phantom representing a standard patient and maximal output shall be measured for a variety of modes (continuous and pulsed, normal and mag modes, high dose rate mode, image recording modes, etc.). These shall include modes commonly used clinically. The report shall state the modes used for each measurement. For each C-arm fluoroscope, these data shall be placed in a table suitable for the operators of the fluoroscope. E. Mammography: Ensures that facility is compliant with ACR, FDA, MQSA and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) standards. The federal MQSA exempts the VA from the requirements of the act. However, Public Law 104-262 requires VHA mammography facilities to meet the basic requirements of the MQSA. The VHA requirements are contained in VHA Handbook 1105.03, Mammography Program Procedures and Standards. Documentation must be current and on site to ensure FDA/ACR compliance (Continuing Medical Education (CME), surveyed facilities with mammography, etc.). Inspections of digital mammography equipment must comply with the latest requirements posted on the ACR website for the manufacturer of the unit being inspected. Inspection items may include: 1) Mammographic Unit Assembly Evaluation 2) Collimation assessment 3) Artifact evaluation 4) kVp accuracy and reproducibility 5) Beam quality assessment HVL measurements 6) Evaluation of system resolution 7) Automatic Exposure Control (AEC) function performance 8) Breast entrance exposure, AEC reproducibility and average glandular dose 9) Radiation output rate 10) Phantom image quality evaluation 11) Signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio measurements 12) Viewbox luminance and room illuminance 13) Review workstation (RWS) tests F. For Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Perform initial survey/inspection and yearly review of MRI unit ensuring that unit meets ACR requirements to meet accreditation by the ACR. 1) Magnetic field homogeneity 2) Geometric accuracy 3) Inter-slice Radio Frequency (RF) interference 4) Slice position accuracy 5) High contrast resolution 6) RF coil performance: a. Volume coils signal to noise ratio b. Volume coils image uniformity c. Volume coils ghosting ratio d. Phased array coils signal to noise ratio e. Surface coils signal to noise ratio 7) Slice thickness accuracy 8) Low contrast detectability 9) Soft copy displays 10) Technologist s QC program 11) Site phantom inventory 12) Site RF coil inventory G. Nuclear Medicine 1)Acceptance testing 2)Quality assurance 3)Annual performance evaluations 4)Review daily QA testing 5)Proper operation of non-imaging equipment (i.e. dose calibrators and Geiger counters) H. For all Bureau of Radiological Health (BRH) compliance tests, documentation of measured values used to certify compliance shall be provided. I. Furnish a follow-up inspection to verify compliance of any necessary corrective action performed to correct deficiencies found. J. Furnish a measured skin entrance dose (in mR or mrem) for each x-ray tube tested using typical technique for the unit under typical tests. K. Furnish radiation dose rate for each mode of operation for typical prolonged fluoroscopically guided invasive procedures performed on fluoro units. L. Survey shall be conducted once per calendar year with the intervals between annual inspections not to exceed 14 months as scheduled at mutually agreed upon times between the Imaging Service/RSO and the contractor. Time of inspection is to be coordinated with the Imaging Service/RSO. Any equipment that is under repair at the time of inspection shall be scheduled for a later inspection at no additional expense to the Government. List of Equipment 1) Three (3) Radiographic Fluoroscopy (R&F) units each two x-ray tubes 2) Five (5) Digital Radiology (DR) rooms each one x-ray tubes 3) Two (2) Dexa Scan unit one x-ray tube 4) One ( 1)Operating Room unit one x-ray tube 5) One (1) Lithotripsy unit one x-ray tube 6) Two (2) Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners one x-ray tube 7) One (1) PET/CT scanner one x-ray tube 8) Two (2) Mammo units one x-ray tube 9) Two (2) Cath. Labs each one x-ray tube 10) Two (2) Angio Labs each one x-ray tube 11) Eight (8) Portable x-ray units each one x-ray tube 12) Ten (10) C-Arms each one x-ray tube 13) Fifteen (15) Dental units each one x-ray tube 14) One (1) Dental CT unit each one x-ray tube 15) Two (2) Dental Panelipse units each one x-ray tube 16) One (1) Nuclear Medicine Gamma Camera 17) Three (3) Nuclear Medicine SPECT/CT each one x-ray tube 18) One (1) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 3T 19) Two (2) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) 1.5T Qualifications: All Radiation Physicists performing services under this contract shall be board certified or board eligible from one of the following boards: American Board of Radiology, American Board of Medical Physics or American Board of Health Physics. Certification must be maintained throughout the contract performance period. Personnel must also have experience in Hospital Medical Physics. Place of Performance: New Mexico VA Healthcare System 1501 San Pedro SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 85723-0001 IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The Government is not obligated to nor will it pay for or reimburse any costs associated with responding to this sources sought synopsis request. This notice does not commit the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will be restricted to this information to match information to a possible solicitation. Public Law 109-461 mandates the VA to consider a total set-aside for Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business set aside. However, if response by Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business firms proves inadequate, an alternate set-aside or full and open competition may be determined. There is no anticipated sub-contracting opportunity for this procurement. Notice to potential offerors: All offerors must have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov before responding to any Government inquiry. Additionally, all Service Disabled Veteran Owned Businesses or Veteran Owned Businesses who plan to submit an offer must have an active registration with the Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Veterans Enterprise VetBiz Registry located at http://vip.vetbiz.gov. Please contract Sheri Eiri, Contract Specialist at [email protected]. All responses must be received in writing no later than Wednesday, October 2, 2019 by noon Arizona Local Time.