ARMY PATIENT LEVEL SATISFACTION SURVEY

Prior Information Notice

Country:

United States

Notice/Contract Number:

fbo:w81k0410aplss

Publication Date:

Sep 22, 2010

Deadline:

Jul 23, 2010

Funding Agency:

Department of the Army

Buyer:

U.S. Army Medical Command

Original Language:

English

Address:

United States

view in:

An Industry Day will be held on 7 April 2010 at 9:00 AM at 2355 Harney Road, Bldg 902, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234. Offerors attending must enter through the gate off Interstate 35 and obtain a visitors pass. A government issued photo identification card is required for each person attending.

The Industry Day will be held for Patient Level Satisfaction Survey and Statistical Analysis Services, which is for the Office of The Surgeon General (OTSG), Army, which supports Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) in both the continental United States (CONUS) and Overseas locations (OCONUS).

Offerors are requested to review the draft Performance Work Statement and submit any questions, in writing, no later than 31 March 2010 to Ms. Liza Esmond at Center for Health Care Contracting, 2107 17th Street, Suite 68, Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234-5068. Questions may be faxed to (210) 221-5402 or sent by Email to liza.esmond@us.army.mil. This is the only individual to which questions should be addressed. Questions must be submitted in sufficient time to allow the staffing of the questions and furnish written answers at the conference. All questions and answers will be posted on FedBizOpps after the Industry Day.

No hardcopies of the draft Performance Work Statement will be available at the conference. Attendees are encouraged to download, print a copy of the draft Performance Work Statement from the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website, and bring their copy with them to the conference. The FedBizOpps website is: http://www.fedbizopp.gov.

Offerors planning to attend the preproposal conference must notify Ms. Esmond, in writing, not later than 31 March 2010.

Set-aside code: N/A
Contact: Liza Esmond, 210-295-4622

Link To Document

Email: Center for Health Care Contracting (liza.esmond@us.army.mil)

Updated on 2010/04/29

Questions and Answers will be posted to this website under W81K0410APLSS on or before 6 May 2010, at 3pm.
Set-aside code: N/A
Place of performance:
Center for Health Care Contracting ATTN: MCAA C BLDG 4197, 2107 17TH Street Fort Sam Houston TX
78234-5015
US
Contact: Liza Esmond, 210-295-4622

Link To Document

Email: Center for Health Care Contracting (liza.esmond@us.army.mil)

Updated on 2010/06/23

For a copy of the questions and answers in a word document please e-mail Liza.Esmond@amedd.army.mil

Draft PWS Section Question/Comment

1. General 1.5.1 Is it the governments intention to issue the awarded contractor an ATO once their system is DIACAP certified?
Response: Specifics regarding this will be provided in the solicitation.
2. General 1.5.1 and 5.2.4 What is the governments estimated time frame after contract award an ATO will be issued?
Response: 6 months.
3. Govt. Furnished Items 3.4 Equipment Please provide details on system requirements of the governments secure server (i.e., the type of server hardware/software/ operating system that the contractor will have access to).
Response: Will be provided in the Solicitation.
4. Contractor Furnished Items 4.2 On-Site Personnel Will the on-site personnel be required for the life of the contract?
Response: At least one person at USAMITC (San Antonio)
5. Task 5.1 Transition Could you please elaborate on the governments objective and goal to transfer the Contractor network capability to a Government server housed at Fort Sam Houston?
Response: To ensure that the security level is maintained throughout the life of the contract.
6. Task 5.1 Transition Is the sole purpose of the secure FTP server being set up in TX to transfer data files to and from the contractor?
Response: That is one aspect, but the APLSS website would be house here as well. More details in the RFP.
7. Task 5.2.14 System Transition Could you please elaborate on what is involved with transferring the contractors system to the government network?
Response: Still being worked, specifics will be in the solicitation.
8. Task 5.2.14 System Transition Is an ATO required before the contractors system can transfer to the government network?
Response: No Answer yet.
9. Task 5.3.1 Out Patient Survey and Task 5.3.2 Inpatient Survey In the last administration, how many paper surveys were returned for processing for each survey type?
Response: The response rates were approximately 25%-30% for each mode.
10. Task 5.3.2 Warrior Transition Unit Survey Is the survey that will be administered to the soldiers who entered the Medical Evaluation Board the same survey at that administered to the WTU soldiers?
Response: No, it will be a different survey instrument
11. Task 5.3.2.1 Inpatient Survey: Mail Surveys/Letters How long after receiving the data file for the inpatient surveys does the mail out need to occur? Will the data be provided daily and the surveys need to be mailed within 10-15 days?
Response: Yes, this is correct
12. Task 5.3.2.1 Inpatient Survey: Mail Surveys/Letters Will all bedded facilities incorporate the same Army Specific questions or would the Army like to offer the ability to have the questions vary by facility? Response: No answer at this time.
Response: All bedded facilities will incorporate the same Army Specific questions
13. Task 5.3.2.1 Inpatient Survey: Mail Surveys/Letters Two types of letters are referenced, however it appears only the long-letter (with written response and APSSW collections options) is defined. It is appropriate to assume the second type of letter is a short letter with APSSW and IVR data collection options?
Response: This is correct, however, there will not be an IVR option with the inpatient survey
14. Task 5.3.2.1 Inpatient Survey: Mail Surveys/Letters Current HCAHPS data collection options do not include a web option. If the Army wishes to use civilian/HCAHPS benchmarks, it might consider restricting data collection to the same approved options.
Response: This will be considered
15. Task 5.4 Army Patient Satisfaction Survey Website Is the APSSW reporting and web survey site required to have a .mil internet address or is a .com internet address acceptable as long as the contractors system is DIACAP certified?
Response: A .mil internet address is required
16. Task 5.6.4 Transcribe Written Comments How are the transcribed written comments used by the provider clinics, MTF, RMC and AMEDD levels?
Response: This varies by MTF
17. Task 5.6.4 Transcribe Written Comments Would content coding of the comments provide additional value?
Response: This is currently not part of the PWS
18. Task 5.6.4 Transcribe Written Comments Would the government find it beneficial to receive the comments from the WTU survey in another form than written transcription?
Response: This question is unclear not sure what they are proposing
19. General Providing the actual or draft survey instruments for each survey (and each survey by mode if different) will be very beneficial to better understanding the program scope and effectively pricing. The survey instrument layout and design, color(s), number of items, item types, number of pages, etc. all has project impact.
Response: The surveys will be provided at the time the solicitation is issued.
20. General Specific survey quantities and response rates per survey by mode are important information that has cost implications. Providing this information in the RFP will assist in unifying bidders scope assumptions.
Response: Noted.
21. Section 1.2.1 - Does the contractor have to develop/maintain 2 separate websites 1) just to host the survey and 2) for the results reporting (i.e. APSSW)?
Response: No, one website.
22. Section 1.2.1 - Is APSSW a .mil website that currently meets C&A standards?
Response: That information is not available.
23. Section 1.2.1 - Can the interactive active survey be hosted on the APSSW (relates to Q1)?
Response: Yes, this is possible (if reading question correctly)
24. Section 3.1 This area states that the file will include at a min MTF name, clinic name, date of patients visit, and providers name, MTF name, clinic name, date of patients visit, and providers name, however this is a mail survey and mailing address is not a generated field&. Will patient address be included in the file?
Response: patient address will be included in the file
25. Section 3.1 - Will a Data Use Agreement (DUA) be needed to receive/house this data?
Response: Yes.
26. Section 3.4 - What type of equipment will be provided here&hardware, software, etc?
Response: That will be described at the time the events in this paragraph are identified.
27. Section 3.4 - Does this location and current equipment meet C&A requirements DIACAP, JTIC and have a certificate of Networthiness.
Response: No response.
28. Section 4.2 - Does this person have to only support the project from an information technology aspect (i.e. act as a network engineer) and are they dedicated to this project only?
Response: Change in requirement, therefore, no response.
29. Section 4.2 - Does this person have to be on the site 100% of the time? If not, how much time and will remote access capability be available?
Response: Change in requirement, therefore, no response.
30. Section 4.2 If more than one contractor staff is required to perform this task, please advise the number of seats available.
Response: Change in requirement, therefore, no response.
31. Section 5.1 - How long will this transition period be?
Response: 6 Months.
32. Section 5.2.13 - Appears to be lacking details that were not yet provided. What was the intent here?
Response: Change in requirement, therefore, no response.
33. Section 5.2.14 - Is the system being moved from one .mil environment to another or from a .com to a .mil? And is the system currently certified?
Response: The current system will not support the new requirement.
34. Section 5.2.14 (2) Does this mean that the site requirement to be accessible will only be during these hours? Or is this for a customer support function? Response: Customer support functionns.
35. Section 5.2.14 (2) - Is there customer support for the website and survey planned to be contractor responsibility or the government for all tiered levels? Response: Contractor.
36. Section 5.3.1.1 - How will the contractor know which providers should be surveyed?
Is there a target/goal per MTF?
Response: The contractor will work with the government, yet the contractor should have the capability to track encounter visit volumes
37. Section5.3.2 - How are participants selected for the outpatient survey?
Response: sampling determined at the provider level
38. Section 5.3.1.1 - Is the long and short form two different questionnaires or just collection methodology?
Response: two questionnaires; short form (IVR) a subset of long form
39. Section 5.3.1.1 - Will there be a reminder process for the non-respondents (Outpatient)? If so, what is the process?
Response: 21 days following initial mailing, another survey (or letter) sent
40. Section 5.3.2.1 - What is the anticipated sample size or collection target?
Response: stated in PWS
41. Section 5.3.2.1 - Will there be a reminder process for the non-respondents (Inpatient)? If so, what is the process?
Response: 21 days following initial mailing
42. Section 5.3.2.1 - What is the second option of the letters mailed to be surveyed? The long letter is described what is the other? (Seems like this is missing some details...)
Response: IVR letter and long form survey
43. Section 5.3.2 - Will there be a reminder process for the non-respondents (WTU)? If so, what is the process?
Response: This is a telephone survey; the contractor will work with the government to determine the number of times an interview will attempt to reach a Soldier
44. Section 5.3.3 - Will the list of the providers to be surveyed be provided?
Response: The contractor will receive daily encounter files and will work with the government to determine providers with sufficient volume
45. Section 5.3.3 - What is the sample size& is it the 5600 from above. If so what is the response rate?
Response: This is in the PWS
46. Section 5.3.4 - Will the benchmark be for the all the questions or certain questions within the questionnaire?
Response: The benchmarks will be for certain questions within the questionnaire
47. Section 5.4 Will this site be required to be created or is this an existing website?
Response: This will be created
48. Section It appears as the deliverables have not yet been determined, what are they are what are the associated time frames for deliverables?
Response: Will be identified in the solicitation.
49. General Are all of the surveys approved?
Response: Current surveys are approved.
50. General Is there an IRB requirement and if so, has it already been submitted and results received?
Response: No response.
51. General If websites already exist what is the general architecture of the solution?
Response: Information not available.
52. General Are there previous history of mailing sent, received by survey type?
Response: Question unclear is this asking about response rates?
53. General Are the current questionnaires already approved and ready for distribution?
Response: The answer to this question could be misleading, therefore, no response.
54. General Are reporting requirements (based on content, look and feel) already established and approved?
Response: No
55. General Many dependents of soldiers do not speak English as a primary language. With that said, will the surveys (IVR and telephone) be conducted in multiple languages i.e., Spanish, Creole, Mandarin, etc.?
Response: The requirement is to have a Spanish option
56. General What is the anticipated start date of this contract?
Response: No response.
57. General What is the anticipated annual value of this contract?
Response: No response.
58. General What is the current Level of Effort (LOE) on this contract?
Response: No response.
59. General Is the Government pleased with the incumbents performance?
Response: No response.
60. General Will the Government provide copies of the incumbents performance/AQL reports as it relates to the following: Patient Satisfaction Survey; Availability of IVR; Provider Survey; Benchmark Survey; Biweekly reports; Availability of Questionnaire website Response Rates; and Meetings?
Response: No response.
61. The solicitation indicates that 'large and small businesses are encouraged to participate in this survey'. Is there a decision at this time as to whether the final Invitation to Bid / RFP will be a SBA or not?
Response: Will be identified on the Solicitation.
62. When will the final Invitation to Bid / RFP be released to vendors?
Response: No response.

Set-aside code: N/A
Place of performance:
Center for Health Care Contracting ATTN: MCAA C BLDG 4197, 2107 17TH Street Fort Sam Houston TX
78234-5015
US
Contact: Liza Esmond, 210-295-4622

Link To Document

Email: Center for Health Care Contracting (liza.esmond@us.army.mil)

Updated on 2010/03/12

Please note that this notice is for your information only.
We try our best to have the most accurate and up-to-date information available on our web site, but we cannot guarantee that all of the information provided is error-free.
If you have any suggestions for updates/corrections for this notice, please let us know.

ARMY PATIENT LEVEL SATISFACTION SURVEY

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