McLean, Virginia–Potomac Health Associates, Inc. (PHA) announced that its client, Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center (BDPEC) was awarded the follow-on contract to provide ophthalmology support services to veterans affiliated with the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The contract calls for BDPEC to provide staff for various eye clinics at the VA Medical Center, as well as to provide outpatient surgical services at BDPEC’s ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) throughout the metropolitan Phoenix area.
Under its contract, BDPEC’s ophthalmologists will offer various specialty and subspecialty clinics every day of the week. BDPEC and VA will evaluate the frequency of clinics and make adjustments as necessary over time. Glaucoma screening will be an important aspect of the clinic, as diabetes is a prevalent diagnosis among the veteran population. Patients who require it will have the option of having their surgery at one of several convenient BDPEC ASC locations in the metro Phoenix area.
BDPEC was the incumbent on this solicitation, having been performing since 2006 when it was originally awarded the contract. Its award then was considered a significant coup for BDPEC, as the work had previously been performed under a sole source contract to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Even though the 2006 contract was put up for competitive bid, the Mayo Clinic was widely considered to be the strongest contender on the basis of its status as the incumbent at that time, as well as its status as an academic affiliate of the VA.
“PHA’s expertise with the federal contracting process was, without a doubt, instrumental in our award of the original contract in 2006,” said Mark Rosenberg, Executive Director of BDPEC. “While we have become much more sophisticated and knowledgeable contractors on our own since then, federal contracting rules have changed significantly since our original award, particularly with respect to set-asides,” said Rosenberg. “PHA’s understanding of those rules was instrumental in our ability to compete successfully this time. While their role has changed over time, we continue to benefit from their unique insights into federal contracting issues and their strategic recommendations about how we can add value to our contract.”
Under Rosenberg’s direction, the ophthalmology contract between the Phoenix VAMC and BDPEC has become one of the most innovative partnerships of its kind within the VA nationally. The contract has become a model with enormous potential for replication in a number of markets where VA faces increasing demand for ophthalmology services, yet has only limited internal capability. With many younger veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq who suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) also experiencing ophthalmologic complications, the demand for eye care within the VA is increasing. “We are honored to have been selected to continue providing services to the VA,” said Rosenberg. “Drs. Barnet and Dulaney, founding partners of BDPEC, are veterans themselves, having both served as military surgeons while stationed in Viet Nam, and it is particularly rewarding for the practice to be serving military beneficiaries once again. We look forward to caring for the elderly population of veterans, as well as younger veterans who have served more recently.”
BDPEC is the largest ophthalmology practice in the State of Arizona and among the largest in the United States. BDPEC operates eight Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) throughout the state. The professional staff includes 12 board-certified and board eligible ophthalmologists with subspecialties in cataract, cornea, retina vitreous, glaucoma, oculoplastics and refractive surgery, and 18 medically certified optometrists providing diagnostic and therapeutic treatment. Its providers collectively perform more than 24,000 professional surgeries annually.
Potomac Health Associates, Inc. is a professional services firm that specializes in federal health care contracting and business development for commercial and government clients. Since its inception, the firm has helped its clients win in excess of $400 million in competitive awards from the VA, and $3.75 billion in competitive and non-competitive federal contract awards from all federal agencies.