This is a Sources Sought (SS) Notice only, not a solicitation announcement and should not be considered as such. There is no solicitation available at this time. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this SS, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any cost incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. This SS does not constitute a commitment by the Government. Any information provided in response to this market survey will be used for informational purposes only and will not be released. Vendor participation is not a promise of future business with the Government. The purpose of this SS is to conduct Market Research to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification (hub zone, 8(a), small, small disadvantage, service disabled veteran owned small business or large business) relative to NAICS Code 621610 (size standard of $14.0 Million). The Department of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office 11, is conducting market research to determine if there is a sufficient number of certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), Veteran Owned Small Businesses (VOSB), Hubzone Small Businesses, Woman Owned Small Businesses or 8(a) firms capable of performing the requirements to warrant a set-aside. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is seeking potential sources capable of providing Home Respiratory Services and Respiratory Equipment to an estimated 2,250 beneficiaries for the Department of Veterans Affairs, VISN 11 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers located in Ann Arbor, MI, Detroit, MI, Ft. Wayne, IN, Marion, IN and Indianapolis, IN. Place of performance will be required in beneficiaries place of residence. This will include, but not limited to: hospitals, veteran's residence, or in a nursing home where the veteran resides. Sources should have the capabilities to provide for 24/7/365 Home Respiratory Services and Equipment. Respiratory therapist visits will include follow-ups for new patients and existing patient follow-up as requested to address equipment or safety concerns. Preventive Maintenance Inspection (PMI) service appointments will be performed by equipment technicians and/or therapists and are utilized to provide safety and ongoing equipment education every 6 months. Services will include patient/home/fire safety education, ongoing delivery of oxygen equipment and/or rental of oxygen systems and respiratory related equipment and supplies, data collection and reporting, development, review, and revision of care plans, maintenance of patient records, and ongoing communication with VA. Services also include storage and maintenance of all high-pressure cylinders, concentrators, portable concentrators, oxygen refill systems, ventilators, emergency back-up systems. The contractor should also have the ability to arrange travel for veterans outside of the service area in coordination with other vendors at the point of destination. Contractor shall also comply with any other federal, state, and local laws applicable to the industry. Potential sources must demonstrate experience and knowledge of required services and capability to provide such services. Potential sources should submit: " business name and address, " point of contact, " business size, and any applicable business socio-economic category " Capabilities to include at a minimum the following information: o Do you currently or have you had past experience providing for home oxygen and DME services for the Department of Veterans Affairs? If so, how many VA Medical Centers did you support concurrently within a single contract? Which VISN? o If company does not have current or past experience providing services for the Department of Veterans Affairs do you have current or past experience providing services for private or public managed care, insurance or hospital/health systems? o What is the highest number of home oxygen using patients your company has provided services for concurrently? Radius of service? o Demonstrate your company's experience with supporting usage of oxygen devices capable of self-filling tanks. o Demonstrate your company's capabilities to support the rental of portable concentrators for those patients that could benefit to accommodate activities of daily living. Demonstrate your company's capabilities to accommodate travel requests. o Demonstrate your company's ability to provide for registered (and or certified) respiratory therapist full-time as part of the home respiratory services you provide. o Demonstrate your capabilities to provide or acquire the necessary resources (i.e. personnel, facilities, materials, transportation, equipment and communication services) to provide for 2250 oxygen patients in the areas. o Does your firm have experience providing for home health services and supplies to include home oxygen in rural areas during harsh cold inclement weather conditions? If yes, provide examples of this experience. o Does your company have mechanisms in place for thorough, internal, quality-driven performance improvement activities? If so, provide a summary. o How much of the performance under the services would your firm need to subcontract in order to provide the necessary services? Provide specific areas to be sub-contracted. o What home healthcare accreditation does your company currently hold? " Please indicate if your company can provide services for the entire region specified above, or just portions of the region (specify which portions). " DUNS number, The NAICS code for this procurement is 621610 and the small business size standard is $14.0 Million. Responses to this notice shall be e-mailed to Connie McKay at
[email protected]. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received in writing no later than 12:00 p.m., Monday, May 13, 2013. This notice is to assist the VA in determining sources only. A solicitation is not currently available. THE VA IS NOT SEEKING PRICING OR OFFERS OF ANY KIND. There is no guarantee, expressed or implicit, that the market research for this acquisition will result in a particular set-aside or sole source award, or any other guarantee of award strategy. All information is to be provided on a voluntary basis at no charge to the Government.