Medical Review Officer (MRO) and Urine Collection Support Services
This Sources Sought Notice is for vendors only who can provide worldwide forensic specimen collection, documentation and Medical Review Officer Support Services compliant with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines and regulation governing Federal Drug Free Workplace civilian drug testing. The various elements of the notice are not separable and must be provided in-toto. The scope of collection and MRO support services encompasses approximate 20 Federal Agencies and the four Military Services. The Government requires specialized Contractor expertise and capabilities who can:
a. Provide a worldwide network of clinics with forensic urine collection capabilities consistent with Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) guidelines.
b. Provide for timely forensic urine collection services worldwide at on-site and clinic collection facilities.
c. Partner with DoD Agencies to enhance compliance with the DoD Civilian Employee Drug-Free Workplace Program requirements (DOD Instruction 1010.09) at on-site collection facilities.
d. Develop and maintain an internal quality assurance review process to identify and correct deficiencies or discrepancies in the execution of this PWS consistent with SAMHSA guidelines.
e. Provide Medical Review Officer (MRO) Services in the timely review, documentation, and reporting of urinalysis drug test results consistent with DoD and SAMHSA regulations.
This Sources Sought Notice is for market research purposes only and is not a request for proposal (RFP) nor does it restrict the Government as to the final acquisition strategy. The Government will not reimburse respondents for any costs incurred in preparation of a response to this notice.
Objective
Acquire essential specialized technical expertise, essential forensic urinalysis collection capability, and essential support services to optimize the DoD's civilian drug testing program. Support statutory and policy requirements for a Federal Drug Free Workplace program consistent with DoD Directives, Instructions and SAMHSA guidelines and regulations. Provide accurate documentation, scientific review of drug testing laboratory data, using established forensic review procedures to provide timely data reporting and, when required, interview and medical records reviews. Expert witness testimony and forensic documentation reports required upon request.
Scope
The scope of this requirement encompasses all support services associated with the forensic collection of urine specimens from DoD civilians employed in testing designated positions (TDP) and civilian applicant for Federal Service in DoD Agencies. The forensic urine collection entail civilians in the employment by the Military Services and DoD Agencies. Civilian urine support services collections under this PWS include urine specimen collection conducted at off-site clinic locations and Federal Agency on-site facilities. Forensic procedures used in urinalysis collection must be in accordance with DoD and SAMHSA guidelines and regulations. Included in the collection process are other expenses accounted under Other Direct Costs (ODCs) such as scheduled collection cancellation fees, scheduled personnel "no-show" fees, minimum member collection fees, requirement for additional contractor collection personnel fees.
The MRO support services includes the review of all drug test results, conduct of personal interviews and medical records reviews associated with drug positive results, evaluation of non-physiologic, suspicious or tampered specimen submissions, the preparation and review of litigation packages, provision for litigation support services / travel associated with expert witness testimony, and other expert interpretation of test results as required. The MRO serves as the common point of contact between all parties involved in a drug test (i.e., the donor, the collector, the laboratory, and the Federal Agency's designated representative). MRO services include: (1) reviewing lab test results and specimen custody and control forms to verify forensic and scientific reliability; (2) conducting donor interviews (as required); (3) interpreting medical records relative to drug test results; (4) reporting verified test results to employer / Federal Agency; (5) maintaining records and confidentiality of drug testing information; and, (6) providing litigation support and testimony as needed.
An additional requirement is flexibility to adjust and accommodate a dynamic work environment such as schedule changes, or interruptions resulting from weather or government shutdown. Situations may arise due to an individual's involvement in an accident, death, injury, or incapacitation requiring unplanned worldwide response for forensic urine collections to be obtained within 24 hours of notification.
Based upon these variables and the most recent 3-year metrics, the projected estimate of annual urine collection support services over the period of the contract may approximate:
a. 35,000 - 55,000 On-site collections
1) 9% involved collection of less than 11 individuals per scheduled event
2) 35% involved collection of between 11 to 29 individuals per scheduled event
3) 56% involved collection of 30 or more individuals per scheduled event
b. 25,000 - 35,000 individual Clinic collections usually but not always associated with pre-employment
c. 1,600 to 2,500 individual OCONUS / International location usually but not always at clinic collection sites depending on location
d. 140,000 - 200,000 MRO drug report reviews of tested individuals
e. 203 collection events in FY 2016 requiring forensic urine collections within 24 hours of notification for collection. All were within continental U.S., territories and OCONUS states.
Critical Task Areas
The Government requirements include Critical Task Areas. Vendors submitting a response to this Notice should address their recent past performance in each of the following Critical Task Areas in their capabilities statement:
1. Technical Expertise. Provide a cadre of qualified personnel in key positions to include, but not limited to, a Program Manager who has a minimum of three years operational experience in all aspects of drug testing, regulatory processes under SAMHSA guidelines and regulations. Medical Review Officers must be licensed physicians, Doctors of Medicine or Osteopathic medicine who have passed an examination administered by a Health and Human Services approved organization. The MRO must be knowledgeable about forensic drug testing procedures for illicit and prescription medications, issues related to adulterated or substituted specimen tampering, forensic testing methodologies and limitations, and all aspects of SAMHSA regulations and guidelines. The MRO must be available to provide Expert witness testimony under oath on interpretation of testing results and related fields of inquiry regarding drug ingestion and effects. In addition the MRO must be able to provide accurate, comprehensible, and factual litigation report packages regarding all processes, documents and reference documents employed in the data review.
2. Define urine collection site facilities requirements that meet the minimum SAMHSA guidelines for forensic urine specimen collections.
3. Provide on-site collection services to include trained, qualified and knowledgeable collectors that meet the requirement of SAMHSA guideline
4. Provide worldwide collection services and certify that all partnering clinics meet the minimum SAMHSA guidelines.
5. Establish appropriate administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect all government data, and confidentiality of individuals who have provided urine specimens and their results.
6. Maintain a system of records to ensure personal identity information is not compromised or released inappropriately to include physical site security, and data file security.
Additional Information
Award type. The Government anticipates establishing a multi-year contract in fiscal year 2018 with a one-year base period and four one-year option periods.
Solicitation date. Whether and when there will be a solicitation is unknown. This Notice is for market research purposes and acquisition planning.
Place of performance. Most the work associated with this effort will be performed within contractor facilities. Some on-site work will be performed within government facilities, but may include other locations throughout the United States and its territories, and various overseas locations not within U.S. jurisdiction.
Security requirements. Background checks may be required for facility and network access. All currently known work is at the unclassified level.
Submission Requirements
To facilitate a timely and comprehensive review of all responses, vendors must respond using the format requested in this Notice. Deviation from this format may lead to response rejection.
Vendors must demonstrate their ability to comply with the requirements in this Sources Sought Notice to be considered capable of satisfying the Government's requirement.
Do not include proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in your response to this Sources Sought Notice. The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. Responses to this Notice will not be returned.
The Government requests capability statements from all interested entities having the experience, skills, staff, and technical capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements in-toto. Please provide sufficient detail for the Government to determine whether the vendor possesses the necessary capabilities and experience to compete for any future acquisition. Vendors must articulate their capabilities and experience clearly, concisely, and adequately.
The capabilities statement in response to this Notice should include:
1. Vendor name, address, CAGE Code, and DUNS Number.
2. Point of contact name, telephone, and email address.
3. Give examples of work showing the vendor is capable of performing all aspects of the Notice.
4. Type of interest. A sentence indicating a) whether the vendor would submit a proposal if a Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued and b) interest is for prime contracting
5. Corporate Experience and Past Performance Information. Demonstrate how the vendor's recent past performance (last 3 years) is relevant to the requirement by addressing each of the Critical Task Areas detailed above. Briefly describe relevant recent projects or contracts including: a) client name; b) location; c) dollar value; d) period of performance; e) scope of work; f) area coverage both foreign and domestic; and, h) number of personnel and qualifications to perform core mission of MRO services and forensic specimen collection.
This notice is issued to gain knowledge of interest, capabilities, and qualifications of interested vendors and will be used in planning a future performance-based requirement. THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FOR PROPOSALS OR QUOTES. At this time no solicitation exists; therefore, do not request a copy of a solicitation. The Government DOES NOT intend to award a contract on the basis of the responses to this Notice. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this Notice or any follow-up information requests.
Anthony J. Weedin, Team Lead, Email anthony.j.weedin.civ@mail.mil - Peggie Lowery, Contract Specialist, Email peggie.l.lowery2.civ@mail.mil
