VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF USA Tender Result

Page 2 Of 2 this Sources Sought Notice Is Not A Formal Request For Proposals Or Quotes. No Formal Solicitation Document Exists At This Time. The Government Will Not Reimburse Participants For Any Expenses Associated With Their Response To This Notice. The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Network Contracting Office (nco) 6, Regional Procurement Office (rpo) East, Is In The Process Of Planning A Requirement For Medical Coding Services In Support Of The W.g. Bill Hefner Veteran Affairs Medical Center (vamc), 1601 Brenner Ave., Salisbury, Nc 28144. Please See The Performance Work Statement (pws) Attached. this Potential Requirement May Be For A Base Period Of 12 Month Plus Four Additional 12-month Option Periods. The Applicable Naics Code Is 541519 Other Computer Related Services With A Size Standard Of $30 Million. the Va Is Seeking Written Responses To Assist With Identifying Potential Sources That Are Interested In, And Capable Of, Providing The Services Described. Please Review The Information Contained Herein And Identify Whether Your Company Has The Capability And Interest To Provide The Services Described Herein. Vendors Who Submit Incomplete Responses Will Be Considered Unresponsive. capability Statement That Demonstrates The Firm S Ability To Meet The Above Requirement, Which Includes: company Name: company Point Of Contact Name: company Point Of Contact Email: company Point Of Contact Phone: company Duns Number: company Gsa Schedule Under Which These Services Can Be Purchased: describe Briefly The Capabilities Of Your Company And The Nature Of The Goods And/or Services You Provide Relative To The Current Requirement Of Medical Coding Services. is Your Company Interested In Subcontracting This Opportunity? If So, Describe In Detail What Part Or Parts Of This Requirement That Your Company Is Capable Of Performing. Also Provide The Cage Code And Duns Number For All Proposed Subcontractors. describe Your Company's Past Experience On Previous Projects Similar In Complexity To This Requirement, And Include Contract Numbers, A Brief Description Of The Work Performed, Period Of Performance, Agency/organization Supported, And Individual Point Of Contact (contracting Officer Or Program Manager). what Quality Assurance Processes And Test Qualification Practices Does Your Company Employ? Please Provide A Description Of Your Quality Program (iso 9001, As9100, Etc.). pricing Information: If Available, Please Attach A Price List For The Requested Services To Illustrate Typical Pricing In The Marketplace. Do Not Attach A Quote Or Offer. The Price List Is For Market Research Purposes Only And Will Not Be Used To Make An Award. company Eligibility For Set-asides Under The Following Small Business Programs: Vets First Program Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small Business Vets First Program Veteran-owned Small Business 8(a) Business Development Program Participant Hubzone Small Business Economically Disadvantaged Woman-owned Small Business Woman-owned Small Business Small Business to Be Eligible For A Va Sdvosb Or Vosb Set-aside, The Firm Must Be Verified In The Va S Office Of Small Business Utilization S (osdbu) Veteran Information Pages (vip) Database At Https://www.vip.vetbiz.va.gov/ As An Sdvosb Or Vosb At The Time The Firm Submits Its Quote To The Va. Additional Information On Va S Veterans First Contracting Program Can Be Found On Osdbu S Website At Https://www.va.gov/osdbu/verification/. In Addition, The Sdvosb/vosb Must Qualify As A Small Business Under Sba S Regulations. the Government Reserves The Right To Contact Any Respondent And/or Respondent Reference To Obtain Additional Information. At This Time, No Solicitation Exists; Therefore, Please Do Not Request A Copy Of The Solicitation. Any Resulting Procurement Action Will Be The Subject Of A Separate, Future Announcement. The Information Is Provided For Market Research Purposes And Any Potential Strategy For This Acquisition May Change Prior To Any Solicitation Release. The Acquisition Strategy, Evaluation Methodology, Contract Type, And Any Other Acquisition Decisions Are To Be Determined. vendors Having Capabilities Necessary To Meet Or Exceed The Stated Requirements Are Invited To Provide Information To Contribute To This Sources Sought Notice Via E-mail To The Contracting Officer, No Later Than 7 September 2020 At 10:00 Am Est. Responses Shall Be Emailed To: Stephanie.patterson2@va.gov. performance Work Statement (pws) off-site Medical Coding Services w.g. Bill Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center salisbury, Nc description Of Services: 1.1 The Contractor Shall: 1.1.1 Assign The Current Appropriate Industry Standard Codes After Careful Review Of The Health Record Documentation For All Inpatient, Outpatient, Surgeries, Procedures, And Ancillary Encounters/services. 1.1.2 Assign International Classification Of Diseases, 10th Edition, Clinical Modification/procedure Coding System (icd-10 Cm/pcs) Codes Upon Implementation. 1.1.3 Furnish Validation Of The Integrity, Quality, And Assignment Of Codes To The Data Contained In The Outpatient Patient Care Encounter, Inpatient Patient Treatment File, And Non-veterans Affairs Episodes Of Care Under Veterans Affairs Auspices. 1.1.4 The Latest United States Editions Of The International Classification Of Diseases, Current Medical Information And Terminology, And Current Procedural Terminology, And Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System Shall Be Used To Provide Uniform Disease And Operation Terminology, Which Is Complete And Scientifically Accurate. 1.1.5 Code Assignment Shall Be In Accordance With National Center For Health Statistics, Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association And American Psychiatric Association Guidelines, As Appropriate. On Those Occasions When There Is A Question, Veterans Health Administration Coding Guidelines Take Precedence. Local Policies Will Direct How Coding Is Accomplished And What Quantitative And/or Qualitative Reviews Are Performed By The Facility. The American Hospital Association Coding Clinic And Other Publications May Be Used For Training And Reference Purposes. 1.1.6 Ensure That The Contractor S Coders Providing Services Through This Task Order Use The Facility S National Veterans Affairs Encoder Product. All Coding Must Be Completed Through The Encoder Product. The National Veterans Affairs Encoder Is A Single Transparent Interface With The Veteran Affairs Electronic Health Record System Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture And The Graphical User Interface Version Of Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture. All Coding Is Required To Be Done Via The National Veterans Affairs Encoder; No Other System Shall Be Used Or Interfaced With The Veterans Affairs Systems. 1.2 Contractor Is Responsible For The Management And Supervision Of Its Staff. Contractor Is Responsible For Training Its Staff On Veterans Affairs Policy, Guidelines, And Procedures. 1.3 The Contractor Shall Adhere To All Coding Guidelines As Approved By The Cooperating Parties (american Hospital Association, American Health Information Management Association, Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services, And The National Center For Health Statistics), As Mandated By Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act And Accepted Veterans Affairs Regulations, Including The Following Applicable Documents: 1.3.1 The Official Guidelines And Reporting As Found In The Common Procedural Terminology Assistant, A Publication Of The American Medical Association For Reporting Outpatient Ambulatory Procedures And Evaluation And Management Services 1.3.2 The Current Official Guidelines For Coding And Reporting In The Coding Clinic For International Classification Of Diseases, A Publication Of The American Hospital Association 1.3.3 The Current Veterans Health Administration Guidelines For Coding As Found In The veterans Health Administration Health Information Management Coding guidelines, Health Information Management, And Department Of Veterans affairs. This Workbook Is Updated At Least Once Per Year With New Codes And guidance. The Contractor Must Ensure That They Have The Current Version And The guidance Is Followed. Note: While Veterans Health Administration Does Ask For reimbursement From Third Party Payers, The Veterans Health Administration coding Policy Is To Code Only According To Coding Guidelines. Our Own compliance Audits Use Only This Definition When Determining If Any Encounter Or patient Treatment File Is Coded Correctly. 1.3.4 The Current Procedural Terminology Evaluation And Management Codes Assure Documentation Substantiates The Code Level Assigned. 1.3.5 Veterans Health Administration Directive 2009-002 Patient Care Data Capture: Http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=3091 1.3.6 Veterans Health Administration Directive 2011-006 Revised Billing Guidance For Services Provided By Supervising Practitioners And Resident: Http://vaww1.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=2363 1.3.7 Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1400.01 Resident Supervision: Http://vaww.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=2847 1.3.8 Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1907.03 Health Information Management Clinical Coding Program Procedures: http://vaww1.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=2794 1.3.9 Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1907.01 Health Information Management And Health Records: Http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=3088 1.3.10 Veterans Health Administration Directive 2011-025 Closeout Of Veterans Health Administration Corporate Patient Data Files Including Quarterly Patient Census: Http://vaww.va.gov/vhapublications/viewpublication.asp?pub_id=2419 1.3.11 Other Directives That Veterans Affairs May Issue From Time To Time. 1.4 All Written Deliverables Will Be Phrased In Layperson Language. Statistical And Other Technical Terminology Will Not Be Used Without Providing A Glossary Of Terms. 1.5 Upon Request Of The Contracting Officer (co), The Contractor Shall Remove Any Contractor Staff That Do Not Comply With Veterans Health Administration Policies Or Meet The Competency Requirements For The Work Being Performed. 1.6 The Contractor Shall Abide By The American Health Information Management Association Established Code Of Ethical Principles As Stated In The Standards Of Ethical Coding Published By American Health Information Management Association. 1.7 All Coding And Auditing Activities Shall Be Performed Remotely And Will Utilize Veterans Affairs Electronic Health Record. 1.8 The Contractor Shall Provide All Labor, Materials, Transportation, And Supervision Necessary To Perform Coding And Validation Reviews For Inpatient, Observation, Diagnostic Tests, Ambulatory Surgery/medicine Procedures And Outpatient (clinic) Data Collection, Evaluating The Completeness And Accuracy Of Coding Diagnoses And Procedures In Accordance With Official Coding Guidelines (coding Clinics, Common Procedural Terminology Assistant, Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services /american Medical Association, Ambulatory Patient Classifications ) In A Simulated Medicare Payment Environment. 1.9 Communication: 1.9.1 The Contractor Shall Specify A Contact Person And Phone Number Who Is Available for Personal Contact, At A Minimum, During Regular Business Hours Of The Facility that Owns The Work, For The Duration Of The Work. 1.9.2 The Contractor Shall Maintain Weekly Communication With The Contracting Officer S Representative (cor) Or Other Designee (i.e., Coding Supervisor/team Leader) Regarding Cost To Date, Progress, Workload Status And/or Problems. 1.9.3 The Contractor Shall Make Every Effort To Ensure That Issues Raised By The Local facility Are Addressed Within Forty-eight (48) Hours With The Facility Cor. 1.9.4 The Contractor Shall Ensure That Communications That Contain Personally identifiable Information, Personal Health Information And/or Individually Identifiable Health Information/record Are Encrypted To Prevent Inappropriate/unauthorized Access Or Disclosure. The Veterans Affairs Facility Cor Will Advise The Contractor Of The Encryption To Be Used. 1.10 Contract Coders Shall Code In Accordance With All Current Procedural Terminology / Current Procedural Coding Systems Coding Rules Such As Correct Coding Initiative Bundling Guidelines, And Use The Healthcare Common Procedural Coding Systems, Level Ii Codes, Where Appropriate. 1.11 Contract Coders Shall Exclude Coding Information Such As Symptoms Or Signs Characteristic Of The Diagnoses, Findings From Diagnostic Studies, Or Localized Conditions, Which Have No Bearing On Current Management Of The Patient Or As Appropriate. 1.12 Contract Coders Shall Clarify Conflicting, Ambiguous, Or Non-specific Information Appearing In The Record Through Physician Inquiries And By Consulting With Their Supervisor Who Will, If Necessary, Discuss With The Cor. 1.13 The Contractor Shall Code Using The Appropriate Current Procedural Terminology For Inpatient Professional Services Or Nursing Home Professional Services As Well As The Proper Current International Classification Of Diseases Codes For All Diagnoses. 1.14 Quality Assessment Of Health Information Services: 1.14.1 The Contractor Shall Possess All Licenses, Permits, Accreditation And Certificates As required By Law. 1.14.2 The Contractor Shall Perform The Required Work In Accordance With The Joint Commission, Veterans Health Administration, And Other Regulatory Standards. The Joint Commission Standards May Be Obtained From: the Joint Commission one Renaissance Blvd Oakbrook Terrace, Il 60181 1.15 Exclusions And Sanction Certification: The Contractor Shall Provide Annual Written certification To The Co Which Certifies That All Employees, Sub-contractors, And Their Employees Have Been Checked To Ensure That All Agents Providing Services Under The Task Order Have Been Found Not To Be Listed On The List Of Parties Excluded From Federal Programs And The Health And Human Services/office Of The Inspector General Cumulative Sanction Report. The Annual Certification Shall Be Provided Within Three Weeks After Award And Within Three Weeks After The Exercise Of Any Options Periods. 1.16 The Contractor Shall Be Responsible To Train New Contract Staff (including Subcontractors, If Applicable) On Veterans Affairs Policy And Procedures And Ensure Completion Of Any Veterans Affairs Mandatory Training, Security Clearances, Or Other Tasks Required For Contractor Staff To Perform The Services Outlined In This Pws. 1.17 The Contractor Staff Shall Sign Confidentiality Statements As Required. Any Person, Who knowingly Or Willingly Discloses Confidential Information From The Veterans Affairs, May be Subject To Fines. 1.18 Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act Regulations Require Veterans Health administration To Execute Health Insurance Portability And Accountability Act Compliant Business Associate Agreements With Appropriate Parties That Collect, Receive, Use, Or Disclose Veterans Health Administration Protected Health Information To Perform Activities, Functions, Or Services For Veterans Health Administration. 1.19 The Contractor Will Abide By Vha And National Archives And Records Administration (nara) Records Management Guidelines. 2.0. Specific Mandatory Tasks And Deliverables: 2.0.1 The Contractor Shall Not Commence Performance On The Tasks In This Performance Work statement (pws) Until The Co Has Conducted A Kick Off Meeting Or Has Advised The Contractor That A Kick Off Meeting Is Waived. 2.0.2 The Contractor Shall Provide The Specific Deliverables Described Below By The Timeframes specified. 2.0.3 The Contractor And The Cor Shall Meet Via Teleconference, At Minimum, Quarterly To review And Discuss Workload Quantities For The Quarter And Projected Workload Requirements For The Upcoming Quarter. Any Workload Requirements That Affect The Scheduled Quantities Shall Be Mutually Agreed Upon By Contractor And Cor. The Co Shall Approve And Execute Any Revisions To The Schedule Via Modification. 2.1 Task One - Coding Services: 2.1.1 The Contractor Shall Use Skills, Training, And Knowledge Of International Classification Of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, And Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System Level Ii Code Sets And Guidelines And Other Generally Accepted Available Resources To Review Health Record Documentation And Providers Scope Of Practice To Assign Diagnostic And Procedural Codes At A Minimum 95% Accuracy Rate And Within Required Performance Timelines. 2.1.2 The Contractor Shall Code Outpatient Encounters Including Radiology, Lab Or Other Ancillary Services, Surgical To Include Pathology And Anesthesia Services, Inpatient Professional Services; And Inpatient Episodes/admission Services; Shall Include Required Encoder/ Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture Data Elements In Accordance With Veterans Health Administration Handbooks And Protocols As Specifically Outlined In The Task Order. Other Identified Cases To Be Coded Include But Not Limited To: Veteran Tortfeasor Claims; Veteran Workers Compensation, Humanitarians, Beneficiaries Of The Military Health System (tricare Is The Healthcare Program Servicing Military Beneficiaries), Civilian Health And Medical Program Of The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Ineligibles, Fugitive Felon, Prosthetics, Non-veterans Affairs Fee Services, And New Insurance/late Checkout. 2.1.3 New Insurance/late Check Out Encounters May Not Have Been Coded Due To New Insurance Identified Or Late Check-out And Were Not Identified In The Daily Coding Reports. New Insurance/late Check Out Encounters Shall Be Coded Within Seven (7) Days Of Coder Assignment. 2.1.4 The Contractor Shall Use The 1995 Or 1997 Evaluation And Management Guidelines As Specified In The Facility Policy. 2.1.5 Veterans Health Administration Provides A Wide Variety Of Primary And Specialty Care Services In The Outpatient Setting. Inpatient Admissions Include Those For Acute Care/specialty Care, Observation, And Admissions To The Community Of Living Nursing Care, And Domiciliary Units To Include Non-veterans Affairs Fee Services. 2.1.6 The Contractor Shall Abstract Other Identified Data Items And Enter The Data Into The Local Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture System, Encoder Program, Or Write The Information On Source Documents As Agreed With The Local Facility. This Information Shall Include A Decision As To Whether Or Not An Encounter Is Billable, Based On Non-compliance With Documentation And Resident Supervision Guidelines. Coders Will Utilize The Case Comment Communication Tool To Provide Billing Staff With A Standardized Reason (case Comment) Why They Believe An Outpatient Encounter Cannot Be Billed. Encounters Believed To Be Not Billable Will Be Marked With The Appropriate Case Comment. Case Comments May Include, But Is Not Limited To Agent Orange Exposure Or Ionizing Radiation, Telephone Care, Non-billable Provider, Insufficient Documentation, Or Other Types Of Care That Cannot Be Billed. Contractor Shall Be Available To Answer Any Follow Up Questions Regarding The Episode And Provide References In Support Of Their Code Selection. Contractor Will Also Record Episodes As Required. 2.1.7 The Contractor Shall Provide All Labor, Materials, Transportation And Supervision Necessary To Perform Coding And Abstracting Using Either The 1995 Or 1997, Per Va Medical Center Policy, The Evaluation And Management Guidelines On Encounters And Standard Industry Guidelines, E.g. Coding Clinics And Current Procedural Terminology Assistant, As Specified By The Veterans Affairs Administration Center. 2.1.8 The Contractor Shall Adhere To All Coding Guidelines As Approved By The Cooperating Parties And Accepted Veterans Affairs Regulations. 2.1.9 The Contractor Shall Utilize Veterans Health Administration National Encoder, Industry Standard Guidelines, Veterans Health Administration And Local Policies, And Other Generally Accepted Contractor Supplied Reference Materials To Assign And/or Validate Diagnostic And Procedural Codes Reflective Of Documentation. 2.1.10 The Contractor Shall Utilize The Standardized Case Comments In The Encoder Application To Communicate Specific Document Information To Billing. 2.1.11 The Contractor Shall Utilize Patient Care Encounter / Patient Treatment File / Surgery Or Other Database, If Necessary, To Reflect Code Changes And Names(s) Of Provider(s). 2.1.12 The Contractor Shall Review And Determine Whether Documentation Is Adequate To Support Billable Services. 2.1.13 If Requested By The Facility, The Contractor May Place A Local Coder On-site If Available In Accordance With The Task Order When The Coder Lives In The Area Of A Veterans Affairs Facility Requesting Work. No Travel Costs Will Be Charged In This Scenario. 2.1.14 The Contractor Shall Ensure That Individual Coders Are Clearly Identified On All Work; Any Paper Documents Shall Clearly Identify The Individual Coder. 2.1.15 When Assigning Multiple Current Procedural Terminology Codes, The Contractor Shall Verify That They Are Not Components Of A Larger, More Comprehensive Procedure That Can Be Described With A Single Code. 2.1.16 The Contractor Shall Identify Those Encounters, If Any, Where Documentation Does Not Substantiate An Appropriate Code(s). 2.1.17 The Contractor Shall Identify Duplicate Encounters Or Encounters Created In Error Because The Patient Was Not Seen. 2.1.18 The Contractor Shall Code Based On Reading And Reviewing The Documentation In The Health Record Including The Computerized Patient Record System And Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture Imaging. The Contractor Shall Complete Data Entry Into The Encoder Application That Is Integrated With The Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture System As Part Of This Contract. Completion Of Source Documents In Lieu Of Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture Entry May Be Arranged Only Upon Mutual Agreement Between The Facility Task Order Co And The Contractor. 2.1.19 The Contractor Shall Coordinate With The Local Cor For Implementation Of Contingency Plans For Data Entry When Required. 2.1.20 The Contractor Shall Assign Modifiers As Appropriate To Override Correct Coding Initiative Edits. 2.1.21 For Inpatient Episodes/admission Services: Complete All Patient Treatment File Transactions (e.g., 101, 401, 501, 601, And 701/702) In Accordance With Veterans Health Administration Handbooks, 1907.03 Him Clinical Coding Program Procedures And 1907.04 Patient Treatment File Coding Instructions 2.1.22 Opening And Transmitting Patient Treatment Files Will Follow Local Facility Protocol. The Contractor Shall Review Documentation To Determine Why An Ancillary Or Other Diagnostic Test Was Ordered And Assign An International Classification Of Diseases Diagnosis Code, As Appropriate Based On Date Of Service, To That Test. Contractor Shall Add The Referring Providers Name In Coding Case Comments. 2.1.23 The Contractor Shall Re-review Any Coded Data When Questioned By Veterans Affairs Staff Due To A Billing Edit, When A Denial Is Received, Or When A Retrospective Review Is Completed, To Either Make Changes Or Substantiate The Coding With Appropriate Coding Rules And References. This Service Is Included In The Price Of The Work. The Contractor Shall Use The Following During Re-review Processes: 2.1.23.1 Those Codes That Were Coded And Not Supported In The Documentation, Violate A Coding Rule 2.1.23.2 Those Current Procedural Terminology Or International Classification Of Diseases Diagnosis Codes That Should Have Been Coded And Were Not, 2.1.23.3 Inappropriate Current Procedural Terminology Or International Classification Of Diseases Codes 2.1.23.4 Unbundled Codes 2.1.23.5 Ancillary Encounters With Only A Diagnosis Of V72.5 Or V72.6 2.1.23.6 Inaccurate Diagnosis Related Groups Assignments 2.1.23.7 All Other Data Elements Incorrectly Entered By The Contract Coder, Or Not Entered When Appropriate, E.g. Coder Case Comment, Provider, Adequacy Of Documentation. note: All Subsequent Reviews Completed After The Initial Review Work Will Be Forwarded To The Contractor S Designated Contact Person For Resolution. The Contractor Along With The Va Facility Shall Jointly Determine A Communication Mechanism Whereby The Contractor Shall Access Daily Unless Otherwise Indicated On The Task Order. Veterans Affairs Reserves The Right To Validate All Coding, Audit Results And/or Accuracy Statistics Submitted. 2.1.25 Inpatient Facility Coding: 2.1.25.1 Inpatient Facility Coding Is To Be Completed Within Seven (7) Calendar Days From The Date Of Discharge. 2.1.25.2 Per Vha Directive 2011-025, All Patient Treatment File Data Must Be Accepted By The Austin Information Technology Center And/or Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse No Later Than Seven (7) Calendar Days From The Data Of Patient Discharge. The Only Exceptions Are Patient Treatment File Discharges From Contract Or Community Nursing Home And Non-department Of Veterans Affairs Purchased Care Patient Files. Error Corrections Must Be Re-transmitted By The Closeout Deadline. 2.1.25.3 Inpatient Facility Coding Is Performed On All Inpatient Episodes Of Care, To Include Observation And Non- Veterans Affairs Care Under Veterans Affairs Auspices, Regardless Of Billable Status. Applicable Coding Guidelines Will Be Followed. 2.1.25.4 All Inpatient Facility Coding Will Be Entered Into The Patient Treatment File Utilizing The Encoder Software. 2.1.25.5 The Veterans Health Administration Handbook 1907.04 Establishes Procedures And Covers The Responsibilities And Requirements For The Appropriate Use Of The Patient Treatment File And Provides Specific Instructions For Completing Each Patient Treatment File Transaction (e.g., Admission Transaction (101), Patient Movement Transaction (501), Surgical Transaction (401), Etc.). 2.1.25.6 A Present On Admission Field Entry Is Required For Patients That Are Admitted To Certain Levels Of Care. The Present On Admission Field Is Not Required For Community Living Center And Domiciliary Patients. The Present On Admission Provides Information On Whether A Diagnosis Was Present At The Time Of A Patient's Admission. The Indicator Is Required To Be Assigned To All Diagnosis Codes Involving Inpatient Admission. Each Diagnosis, Principal And Secondary, And External Causes Of Injury Are Required To Have A Present On Admission Indicator Appended. 2.1.25.7 Non- Veterans Affairs Purchased Care Patient Treatment File Coding Utilizes The Non- Veterans Affairs Invoice, As Well As Submitted Clinical Documentation If Received. 2.1.26 Inpatient Professional Encounters/services Coding: 2.1.26.1 Inpatient Professional Encounters/services Coding Is To Be Completed Within Seven (7) Calendar Days Of The Date Coding Is Assigned. 2.1.26.2 Veterans Health Administration Directive 2009-002 Patient Care Data Capture: It Is Veterans Health Administration Policy To Capture And Report Inpatient Billable Professional Services And Inpatient Professional Mental Health Services To Support The Continuity Of Patient Care, Resource Allocation, Performance Measurement, Quality Management, Provider Productivity, Research, And Third-party Payer Collections. This Directive Requires The Capture Of Defined Inpatient Professional Mental Health Services Regardless Of The Third-party Billing Status. 2.1.26.3 Mental Health Inpatient Professional Services Are Inclusive Of Daily Evaluation And Management, Therapy Sessions, Consultations, Etc. For Purposes Of Patient Care Data Capture, Mental Health Services Include Inpatient Professional Services Performed By A Psychiatrist With The Credentials Of Medical Doctor Or Doctor Of Osteopathic Medicine, Psychologist With The Credentials Of Doctor Of Philosophy Or Doctor Of Psychology, Master Level Social Workers, Or Physician Extender With The Credentials Of Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist Or Physician Assistant In An Inpatient Setting, Location Of The Service Notwithstanding. 2.1.26.4 Evaluation And Management Services Are Used To Capture The Provider S Professional Encounters/services Performed In An Inpatient Setting. The Diagnostic Coding And Reporting Guidelines For Outpatient Services (hospital-based And Physician Office) Should Guide Coders When Coding Inpatient Diagnoses For Physician Professional Services. Use The 1995 Or 1997 Evaluation And Management Guidelines As Specified In The Facility Policy. 2.1.26.5 Identify And Link Current Procedural Terminology And International Classification Of Disease Codes, Identify The Provider, And The Date(s) Of Service. 2.1.26.6 Guidelines For Capturing The Inpatient Professional Encounter/services Are Contained Within The Current Veterans Health Administration Coding Guidelines. 2.1.26.7 Contractor May Be Required To Create The Inpatient Professional Service Encounter In The Patient Care Encounter Application In Order To Code The Service. 2.1.27 Outpatient Coding: 2.1.27.1 All Coding Is To Be Completed Within Seven (7) Calendar Days Of The Date Coding Is Assigned. 2.1.27.2 Outpatient Encounters Include Face-to-face Encounters And Other Occasions Of Service That Are Captured Within The Patient Care Encounter. These Services Are Captured Through Completion Of Electronic Encounter Forms; Review Of Documentation By Qualified Coding Staff; And Automated Data Capture Within Radiology And Laboratory Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture Packages. 2.1.27.3 Applicable Coding Guidelines Will Be Followed; Outpatient Coding Guidelines Are Contained With The Current Veteran Health Administration Coding Guidelines. Use The 1995 Or 1997 Evaluation And Management Guidelines As Specified In The Facility Policy. 2.1.27.4 Assign Or Validate Diagnostic And Procedural Codes Reflective Of Documentation; Correct The Patient Care Encounter, If Necessary, To Reflect Code Changes And Name(s) Of Provider(s). 2.1.27.5 Typically Outpatient Coding Does Not Require The Coder To Create Encounters. Most Outpatient Encounters Are Initiated At The Location Of The Visit, At Time Of Patient Check- In, And When The Provider Completes The Visit At Patient Check-out And Or Completion Of The Encounter Forms. 2.1.28 Surgery Case Coding To Include Anesthesia And Pathology: 2.1.28.1 Surgical Coding Must Be Completed Immediately After The Procedure When Possible And No Later Than One Week From The Date Of The Procedure. 2.1.28.2 Surgery Case Coding Includes The Entry Of Coded Procedures And Diagnoses For All Surgery Cases. It Is Necessary To Assign Or Validate Diagnostic And Procedural Codes Reflective Of Documentation For All Cases In The Surgery Package. 2.1.28.3 Assign And Enter The Diagnostic Codes And Procedural Codes With Associated Modifiers Reflective Of Documentation Using The Encoder Into The Surgery Package. 2.1.28.4 Validate That All Cases Successfully Pass From The Surgery Package To Patient Care Encounter Using The Patient Care Encounter Filing Status Report. 2.1.28.5 Assign And Enter Associated Billable Anesthesia And Pathology Services Related To The Surgery Using The Encoder Into The Patient Care Encounter. 2.1.28.6 Anesthesiology Visits For Surgery Performed In The Operation Room May Require Coders To Create Encounters For The Services As They May Not Already Exist In Patient Care Encounter. 2.1.28.7 Instructions For Surgery Coding Are Contained In The Veterans Health Administration Coding Guidelines. 2.1.29 Task One Deliverables: 2.1.29.1 Inpatient Facility Coding 2.1.29.2 Inpatient Professional Encounter/services Coding 2.1.29.3 Outpatient Coding 2.1.29.4 Surgery Case Coding To Include Pathology And Anesthesia Services. 2.2 Task Two External Auditing Service: 2.2.1 Audit Services Shall Be Performed Monthly. 2.2.1.1 The Visn 6 External Audit Spreadsheet Will Be Utilized To Capture Data For The Audit. The Coding Supervisor Or Lead Coder(s) Shall Pull The Records To Be Audited In The Last Week Of The Month And Provide To The Contractor On Or Before 3pm On The Last Workday Of The Month. 2.2.1.2 The Contractor Shall Complete Audits On The 7th Work Day Of The Following Month. 2.2.2 External Audits Provide Validation Of The Integrity, Quality, And Assignment Of Codes To The Data Contained In The Patient Care Encounter And Inpatient Patient Treatment File At Each Medical Center As Evidenced By Proper Documentation Of The Care Or Service Provided To The Patient. External Audits Of Coded Data Will Be Performed On Any Of The Veterans Health Administration Required Coding Activities (e.g., Inpatient, Outpatient, Surgery). These Audits Will Be Performed Separate From Normal Coding Activities. These Audits Will Address Accuracy Of Coded Data, Health Record Documentation Issues, To Include Recommended Remediation Of Specific Documentation Deficiencies, Process Improvement And Identify Educational Needs. Audit Accuracy Expectations Are 95% And Above. 2.2.3 The Contractor Shall Be Responsible For Reviewing All National Coding Guidelines, Veterans Health Administration Handbooks, Health Information Management Consolidated Patient Agreement Center Service Level Agreement, Veterans Health Administration Coding Guidelines, Etc. As Well As Each Facility S Policies Prior To Commencement Of An Audit. References Will Be Provided By The Facility As Needed. 2.2.4 To Ensure The Review Findings Have Value To The Facility, The Visn 6 External Audit Spreadsheet Will Be Utilized To Capture Data For The Audit. The Contractor May Submit A Suggested Data Collection Tool; Any Changes Must Be Mutually Agreed To/approved By The Facility Task Order Co. 2.2.5 All Reviews Will Utilize Electronic Auditing Of The Computerized Health Record System Whenever Possible. Veterans Affairs And Non-veterans Affairs Records May Be Either Scanned Documents Or Hardcopy. The Reviews Will Be Conducted By Remote Data View And Remote Image View. Should The Information Not Be Contained In The Computerized Health Record System Or Veterans Health Information Systems And Technology Architecture, The Medical Center Will Overnight The Documentation To The Vendor. 2.2.6 The Number Of Records To Be Audited Per Month Are: 2.2.6.1: 5 Patient Treatment File Records For Each Inpatient Coder For Inpatient Facility Diagnosis Related Grouping; 2.2.6.2: 15 Professional Fee Encounter For Each Inpatient Coder For Inpatient Professional Encounters Coding Including Surgery; 2.2.6.3: 5 Outpatient Surgery/encounters For Each Surgery Coder For Outpatient Encounter/service Coding Including Surgery; records May Include Inpatient Hospitalizations, Outpatient Visits, And Non-veterans Affairs Records. The Coding Activities May Include Any Or All Of The Following: Inpatient Hospitalizations, Ambulatory Surgery, Diagnostic Tests (endoscopy, Bronchoscopy, Cardiac Catheterization, Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty, Pulmonary Function, Radiology, Laboratory, Etc.), Primary Care, Mental Health, Medicine Sub-specialty, Surgery, Observation, And Non-veterans Affairs Records. 2.2.7 A Detailed Project Plan May Be Requested By A Facility Should The Audit Require A Significant Level Of Effort And Expertise. The Project Plan At A Minimum Should Include: 2.2.7.1 Specific Timelines For Completing The Audit 2.2.7.2 Timeframe For The Facility Reports 2.2.7.3 Number Of Reviewers 2.2.8 Outpatient, Inpatient Professional, Surgery, And Inpatient Facility Audits: 2.2.8.1 Audit Includes Evaluation And Management, Current Procedural Terminology Procedures, And International Classification Of Diseases Diagnosis Codes. Encounters/quarter Are Identified By Billed Episode And Then Audited Against These Three Criteria. If The Encounter Does Not Have A Current Procedural Terminology Procedure Code Associated With The Visit, Then That Data Point Is Not Audited. 2.2.8.2 Use The 1995 Or 1997 Evaluation And Management Guidelines As Specified In The Facility Policy. Review The Evaluation & Management Code To Determine If Correct And Identify The Reason(s) If Not. 2.2.8.3 Determine The Accuracy And Sequencing Of The Diagnoses Coded And Identify The Reason(s) If Not. 2.2.8.4 Determine The Accuracy Of Current Procedural Terminology/healthcare Common Procedural Coding System Codes And Modifiers And The Reason(s) If Not Accurate. 2.2.8.5 Inpatient Review Criteria May Include: Principal And Secondary Diagnosis Code (accuracy, Omission, Etc.), Diagnosis Related Groups Accuracy, Correct Present On Admission Assignment. 2.2.8.6 The Contractor Shall Have A Methodology For Resolving Coding Questions By Reviewers And Ensuring Inter-reviewer Consistency And Reliability. 2.2.8.7 The Contractor Shall Review Findings With Chief, Health Information Management, Facility Cor, Management, And Other Designated Medical Center Personnel. Any Discrepancies Identified During This Process Must Be Resolved Prior To Final Written Report. 2.2.8.8 The Contractor Shall Be Responsible For Conducting At A Minimum An Exit Conference With Management Officials At The Discretion Of The Medical Center To Be Coordinated With The Cor. 2.2.9 Audit Reports reports On Findings Will Be Prepared To Allow Use By Medical Center Staff In Re-reviews, Education Or To Provide Management Updates. Final Report Elements May Be Specified In Visn 6 External Audit Spreadsheet. Documentation Of Audit Findings Will Be As Requested By The Facility And May Include Record Id, Breakdown Of Record Type (i.e., Outpatient, Inpatient), Breakdown By Code (current Procedural Terminology, International Classification Of Diseases, Evaluation And Management, Modifier, Etc.) Of Total Number Of Codes Reviewed; Number Of Correct Codes, Accuracy Rate, Diagnosis Related Groups Reviewed (# Correct; Accurate); Any Code Changes/errors And Reason/reference For Error; Identified Weaknesses And Recommendation For Correction. Also Include Any Documentation Issues/deficiencies And Recommendation For Improvement/remediation. 2.2.9.1 The Contractor Shall Provide A Final Written Report To The Facility Cor Within 15 Business Days Following The Review(s). 2.2.9.2 The Contractor Shall Document In Writing All Records Reviewed And Provide Such Documentation To The Facility Cor With The Final Report. 2.2.9.3 Education Plan: To Be Included In The Audit Process, Weaknesses Identified During The Audit Shall Be Used To Provide A Facility Specific Education/training Plan, Based On Veterans Health Administration Coding And Documentation Regulations And Guidelines, And Local Policy To Present To Veterans Integrated Service Network/veterans Affairs Medical Center Management Officials, Physicians/clinicians, Sub-specialties If Needed, And For Veterans Health Administration Coding Staff To Include Any Recommended Remediation. Plan Shall Be Submitted To The Local Cor Within Seven (7) Calendar Days Following The Audit. 2.2.10 Task Two Deliverables 2.2.10.1 Project Plan, If Required 2.2.10.2 Audit: Inpatient Facility (diagnosis Related Group) Coding 2.2.10.3 Audit: Inpatient Professional Encounter Coding Including Surgery Coding 2.2.10.4 Audit: Outpatient Encounter/services Coding Including Surgery Coding 2.2.10.5 Report On Audit Results 2.2.10.6 Education Plan 2.3 Task Three On-site Training Workshop the Contractor Shall Provide, At A Minimum, A Two-hour Educational Session For Veterans Health administration Coding Staff, Veterans Affairs Medical Center Management Officials, physicians/clinicians, Sub-specialties Providers Or Other Staff. Contractor Is Required To Develop specific Coding Education Utilizing Actual Charts And Identified Coding Issues Specific To The veterans Health Administration Coder And/or Veterans Affairs Facility, And Based On Veterans health Administration Guidelines, Regulations, And Local Policy. 2.3.1. Task Three Deliverable: Training Workshop 3.0 Reporting Requirements 3.0.1 The Contractor Shall Provide To The Facility Cor A Weekly Status Report, Citing Number Coded, Date To Be Coded, Number Remaining To Be Coded, Number Of Suspended Encounters, And Any Issues Needing Resolution. The Report Shall Be Submitted To The Cor Via Email On Or Before Noon Each Wednesday. 3.0.2 The Contractor Shall Provide The Facility Cor With Monthly Progress Reports Commensurate With The Length Of The Project. The Contractor Can Determine The Format That Will Adequately Capture The Information. Any Format Revisions Will Be Mutually Agreed Upon By The Contractor And Cor. The Progress Report Shall: 3.0.2.1 Cover All Work Completed During The Preceding Reporting Period. 3.0.2.2 Identify Project Activity, Issues And Resolutions, Escalation Process For Outstanding Issues, And Remediation For Any Issues That Cause The Project To Be Delayed (both Anticipated And Unanticipated). 3.0.2.3 Provide A Cumulative Total, Per Clin, Of Remaining Quantity And Available Balance. 3.1. Deliverables: 3.1.1 Weekly Status Reports To The Cor 3.1.2 Monthly Progress Report To The Cor 4.0 Schedule Of Deliverables the Contractor Shall Meet The Delivery Schedule For Each Deliverable Specified Below: task Deliverables deliverable objective delivery Due 2.1 Task One Coding Services 2.1.25 inpatient Facility coding within 7 Calendar Days Of The Date Coding of Discharge. 2.1.26 inpatient Professional encounter/services coding within 7 Calendar Days Of The Date Of discharge. 2.1.27 outpatient Coding coding Completed Within 7 Calendar Days Of the Date Coding Is Assigned. 2.1.28 surgery Coding completed Immediately After The Procedure when Possible And No Later Than One Week From the Date Of The Procedure. 2.2 Task Two - External Audit 2.2.7 project Plan if Required, Within 15 Calendar Days Of Request 2.2.8 audit: Inpatient facility complete By The 7th Work Day Of The Month following The Quarter 2.2.8 audit: Inpatient professional Encoder coding Including surgery Coding complete By The 7th Work Day Of The Month following The Quarter 2.2.8 audit: Outpatient encounter Coding complete By The 7th Work Day Of The Month following The Quarter 2.2.9.1 final Report Of Audit results within 15 Business Days Of Audit Completion. 2.2.9.3 education Plan within 7 Calendar Days Of Audit Completion. 2.3 Training Workshop 2.3.1 training Workshop (2 hour Minimum) provide On Site; Date To Be determined By/coordinated With The Facility. 3.0 Reporting Requirements 3.1.1 weekly Status reports on Or Before Noon Each Wednesday 3.1.2 monthly Progress report within 7 Calendar Days Of The End Of The month. 5.0 Quality Control And Performance Metrics: the Cor Or Veterans Affairs Appointed Designee Will Validate The Contractor S Work To Confirm that Contractual Coding And Auditing Meets Accuracy And Policy Requirements. The Contractor Is responsible For Continuous Quality Control Of Their Own Work Product Using Quality Control methods Such As Auditing. Coding Accuracy Will Be Determined By The Number Of Correct Codes compared To Total Number Of Possible Correct Codes, Correct Diagnosis Related Group assignment, And Correct Review And Data Entry Of Identified Data Items. The Contractor Must maintain A 95% Accuracy Level. Failure To Meet The Required Level Of Accuracy May Result In Cancellation Of This Task Order. The Designated Contacts For The Facility And The Contractor Will discuss Any Questions Regarding Coding Or Expected Work. 5.1 The Contractor Shall Have In Place The Following Coding Quality Control/performance Process Whereby The Contractor Shall: 5.1.1 Meet The Expected Turnaround Time As Stated Herein. Work Is Considered Completed When It Is Received Back At The Veterans Affairs Facility With Data Entry Done Via The Encoder Or The Documentation Is At The Veterans Affairs Facility. 5.1.2 Perform On-going Quality Assessments Of Not Less Than 5% Of All coded Data Elements And Provide Weekly Results To The Veterans Affairs Facility cor To Ensure That The 95% Accuracy Rate Is Met. 5.1.3 Track Results By Coder To Assure Appropriate Follow-up. Data Elements Include International Classification Of Diseases And Current Procedural Terminology Codes, Diagnosis Related Groups, And Data Items Abstracted And Entered By The Blanket Purchase Agreement Coder. 5.1.4 Monitor To Ensure That The 95% Quality Standard Is Met On An On-going Basis. If Monitoring Demonstrates That Work Has Fallen Below The Quality Standard, The Contractor Must Develop A Corrective Action Plan And Include It With The Weekly Report To The Cor. 5.2 If For Any Reason Services Cannot Be Delivered On Time, The Contractor Shall Notify The Facility Cor As Soon As Possible But No Later Than Three (3) Days Prior To The Due Date And Provide A Written Explanation Citing Reasons For The Delay And Overall Impact, A Plan To Resolve The Reason For The Delay, And A Firm Commitment Of When The Work Shall Be Completed. The Cor Will Review The Document Collaboratively With The Impacted Office And Co Then Issue A Response In Within Three (3) Business Days. special Contract Requirements a. Smoke-free Policy under Vha Directive 1085, All Vha Health Care Facilities (including Cbocs And Hccs) Will Be smoke-free For Patients, Visitors, Contractors, Volunteers, And Vendors Effective October 1, 2019.the Policy Applies To Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipes, Or Any Other Combustion Of Tobacco, including But Not Limited To Electronic Or E-cigarettes, Vape Pens Or E-cigars. b. Personnel the Contractor Personnel Shall Possess Expertise In Health Record Coding And Auditing. These Skilled Experienced Professional And/or Technical Personnel Are Essential For Successful Contractor Accomplishment Of The Work To Be Performed Under The Pws. the Contractor Shall Utilize Only Employees, Sub-contractors Or Agents Who Are Physically Located Within A Jurisdiction Subject To The Laws Of The United States. The Contractor Will Ensure That It Does Not Use Or Disclose Protected Health Information Received From Covered Entity In Any Way That Will Remove The Protected Health Information From Such Jurisdiction. The Contractor Will Ensure That Its Employees, Sub-contractors And Agents Do Not Use Or Disclose Protected Health Information Received From Covered Entity In Any Way That Will Remove The Protected Health Information From Such Jurisdiction. Personnel Providing Direct Coding And Auditing Services Must Be A U.s. Citizen. c. Personnel Replacement any Personnel The Contractor Offers As Substitutes Shall Meet The Security Requirements and Qualifications As Outlined In The Pws. all Personnel Substitutions Shall Be Submitted To The Cor Prior To Making Any Change In personnel. The Contractor Shall Submit Evidence Of Completed Mandatory Training, Security documents, And Any Other Information Requested By The Cor. substitute Personnel Shall Not Commence Work Until All Necessary Security And Training requirements Are Met. d. Coder/auditor Education And Experience the Contractor Shall Provide Experienced, Competent, Credentialed Personnel To Perform coding And/or Auditing Activities. contract Coders Shall Have A Minimum Of Two Years Experience In International Classification Of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, And Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System Coding And Completed The Baseline International Classification Of Diseases,10th Edition Requirements Listed Below Or As Required To Hold A Current/active Credential; audit Reviewers Must Have At Least Three Years Of Training Experience In Reviewing Records In Large Tertiary Care Hospital, And Outpatient Health Care Organizations Having All Subspecialties And Primary Care, As Well As Three Years Of Education And Training Experience And Completed The Baseline International Classification Of Diseases, 10th Edition Requirements Listed Below Or As Required To Hold A Current/active Credential: contract Coders/validation Staff Shall Possess Formal Training In Anatomy And Physiology, Medical Terminology, Pathology And Disease Processes, Pharmacology, Health Record Format And Content, Reimbursement Methodologies And Conventions, Rules And Guidelines For Current Classification Systems (international Classification Of Diseases, Current Procedural Terminology, And Healthcare Common Procedural Coding System). coders/auditors Shall Be Credentialed And Have Completed An Accredited Program For Coding Certification, An Accredited Health Information Management Or Health Information Technician. For The Purpose Of This Blanket Purchase Agreement, A Certified Coder/auditor Is Someone With One Of The Following Active Credentials Listed Below. Other Credentials Shall Not Be Accepted. personnel With Responsibilities For International Classification Of Diseases 10th Edition Code Determination/application Activities Shall Hold A Current/active American Health Information Management Association Or American Academy Of Professional Coders Credential. personnel Shall Have Successfully Completed The Required Baseline International Classification Of Diseases, 10th Edition, Clinical Modification/procedure Coding System Continuing Education Units (ceus) Required By Their Credentialing Organization As Follows: American Health Information Management Association Requires Registered Health Information Technician 6 Ceus; Registered Health Information Administrator 6 Ceus; Clinical Documentation Improvement Practitioner 12 Ceus; Certified Coding Specialist -p 12 Ceus; Certified Coding Specialist 18 Ceus; And Certified Coding Associate 18 Ceus. certification As An American Health Information Management Association International Classification Of Diseases, 10th Edition, Clinical Modification/procedure Coding System Trainer Is Also Acceptable. american Academy Of Professional Coders Credential Holders Shall Have Taken And Passed The Required International Classification Of Diseases International Classification Of Diseases, 10th Edition Proficiency Assessment. credentials For Coding/auditing: American Health Information Management Association Credentials As A Registered Health Information Administrator Registered Health Information Technician, Certified Coding Specialist, And Certified Coding Specialist Physician, Or American Academy Of Professional Coders As A Certified Professional Coder Or Certified Professional Coder Hospital. e. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (qasp) the Government Intends To Utilize A Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (qasp) To Monitor The quality Of The Contractor S Performance. The Oversight Provided For In The Order And In The qasp Will Help To Ensure That Service Levels Reach And Maintain The Required Levels Throughout the Contract Term.ã‚â  Further, The Qasp Provides The Cor With A Proactive Way To Avoid unacceptable Or Deficient Performance, And Provides Verifiable Input For The Required Past performance Information Assessments.ã‚â  The Qasp Is A Living Document And May Be Updated By the Government As Necessary. f. Government Furnished Information the Government Shall Provide The Veterans Affairs Reference Material As Requested By Contractor And A Complete Case Comment Listing Provided By The Facility Cor. References Shall Include The Veterans Health Administration Handbooks, Health Information Management Consolidated Patient Agreement Center Service Level Agreement, Veterans Health Administration Coding Guidelines, Local Policies When Applicable, And Other Information As Deemed Applicable. g. Background Investigation all Contractor Employees Are Subject To The Same Level Of Investigation As Va Employees Who have Access To Va Sensitive Information. The Level Of Background Investigation Commensurate with The Level Of Access Needed To Perform The Performance Work Statement Is: National Agency check With Written Inquiries (naci). This Requirement Is Applicable To All Subcontractor personnel Requiring The Same Access. the Contractor Shall Bear The Expense Of Obtaining Background Investigations. If The Office Of personnel Management Through The Veterans Affairs Conducts The Investigation, The Contractor shall Reimburse The Va. h. Training For Access To Va Information And Information System all Contractor Employees Requiring Access To Va Information And Va Information Systems Shall Complete The Following Before Being Granted Access To Va Information And Its Systems: sign And Acknowledge (either Manually Or Electronically) Understanding Of And Responsibilities For Compliance With The Contractor Rules Of Behavior, Relating To Access To Va Information And Information Systems; successfully Complete The Va Cyber Security Awareness And Rules Of Behavior Training And Annually Complete Required Security Training; successfully Complete The Appropriate Va Privacy Training And Annually Complete Required Privacy Training; successfully Complete Any Additional Cyber Security Or Privacy Training, As Required For Va Personnel With Equivalent Information System Access. The Contractor Shall Provide To The Cor A Copy Of The Training Certificates And Certification Of Signing The Contractor Rules Of Behavior For Each Applicable Employee Within One (1) Week Of The Initiation Of The Contract And Annually Thereafter, As Required. These Online Courses Are Located At The Following Web Site: Https://www.tms.va.gov/learning/user/login.jsp Detailed Instructions On Account Setup Will Be Provided To The Successful Offeror. failure To Complete The Mandatory Annual Training And Sign The Rules Of Behavior Annually, Within The Timeframe Required, Is Grounds For Suspension Or Termination Of All Physical Or Electronic Access Privileges And Removal From Work On The Contract Until Such Time As The Training And Documents Are Complete. i. Records Management Language For Contracts the Following Standard Items Relate To Records Generated In Executing The Contract And Should Be included In A Typical Electronic Information Systems (eis) Procurement Contract: citations To Pertinent Laws, Codes And Regulations Such As 44 U.s.c Chapters 21, 29, 31 And 33; Freedom Of Information Act (5 U.s.c. 552); Privacy Act (5 U.s.c. 552a); 36 Cfr Part 1222 And Part 1228. contractor Shall Treat All Deliverables Under The Contract As The Property Of The U.s. Government For Which The Government Agency Shall Have Unlimited Rights To Use, Dispose Of, Or Disclose Such Data Contained Therein As It Determines To Be In The Public Interest. contractor Shall Not Create Or Maintain Any Records That Are Not Specifically Tied To Or Authorized By The Contract Using Government It Equipment And/or Government Records. contractor Shall Not Retain, Use, Sell, Or Disseminate Copies Of Any Deliverable That Contains Information Covered By The Privacy Act Of 1974 Or That Which Is Generally Protected By The Freedom Of Information Act. contractor Shall Not Create Or Maintain Any Records Containing Any Government Agency Records That Are Not Specifically Tied To Or Authorized By The Contract. the Government Agency Owns The Rights To All Data/records Produced As Part Of This Contract. the Government Agency Owns The Rights To All Electronic Information (electronic Data, Electronic Information Systems, Electronic Databases, Etc.) And All Supporting Documentation Created As Part Of This Contract. Contractor Must Deliver Sufficient Technical Documentation With All Data Deliverables To Permit The Agency To Use The Data. contractor Agrees To Comply With Federal And Agency Records Management Policies, Including Those Policies Associated With The Safeguarding Of Records Covered By The Privacy Act Of 1974. These Policies Include The Preservation Of All Records Created Or Received Regardless Of Format [paper, Electronic, Etc.] Or Mode Of Transmission [e-mail, Fax, Etc.] Or State Of Completion [draft, Final, Etc.]. no Disposition Of Documents Will Be Allowed Without The Prior Written Consent Of The Contracting Officer. The Agency And Its Contractors Are Responsible For Preventing The Alienation Or Unauthorized Destruction Of Records, Including All Forms Of Mutilation. Willful And Unlawful Destruction, Damage Or Alienation Of Federal Records Is Subject To The Fines And Penalties Imposed By 18 U.s.c. 2701. Records May Not Be Removed From The Legal Custody Of The Agency Or Destroyed Without Regard To The Provisions Of The Agency Records Schedules. contractor Is Required To Obtain The Contracting Officer's Approval Prior To Engaging In Any Contractual Relationship (sub-contractor) In Support Of This Contract Requiring The Disclosure Of Information, Documentary Material And/or Records Generated Under, Or Relating To, This Contract. The Contractor (and Any Sub-contractor) Is Required To Abide By Government And Agency Guidance For Protecting Sensitive And Proprietary Information. source: The National Archives Records Administration (nara). Http://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/handbook/records-mgmt-language.html