Guidelines for VA Solicitation Agreements
The types of VA agreements
- Intergovernmental Personnel Agreements - IPA. Contract for the VA to purchase services of a specific SU staff/faculty
- Subcontracts. PAIRE purchases services of SU staff to support sponsored research awarded by prime sponsor to PAIRE - Based on terms of prime sponsor
- Personal Services Agreement - PSA. PAIRE purchases services of SU staff. May be for PAIRE research but is using gift funds or reserves
- Solicitation Agreement. VA contracts to purchase services, generally physician services, of x% FTE of service providers
Guidelines
- Department Chair or Division Chief contacts the Chief of Service at the VA to determine whether there is sufficient need to support taking a contract proposal through the VA system. If there is agreement that sufficient need exists the Department should request that the VA provide documentation of the intent to negotiate a contract. Documentation should come from either Lisa Freeman, Director or Dr. Sheikh, Chief of Staff at the VA Palo Alto. An email is adequate. It is not necessary, nor generally possible, to get a firm commitment on a contract amount at this time.
- Department identifies whether this is a new position or if moving a current faculty member onto a contract will impact their appointment or benefits eligibility. If so, contact the Dean's Office to make certain what will be required for the specific situation.
- DFA pursues discussions with the VA to determine price and conditions of the agreement. Start with the Chief of Service you will then be referred to the VA Contract Officer. The Contract Office responsible for Solicitation Agreements is now Judy Infusino, Team Leader for Professional Clinical Services in San Francisco (415-750-2063).
- RMG budget template must be used. Allowable budget items include:
- Salary - budget template estimates a 3% annual increase
- Administrative supplement and/or bonus - must have documentation that it is related to physician's work at the VA
- Fringe Benefits (excluding TGP because the VA is a Federal agency)
- Housing Allowance Program - cost will not be included in the final contract price; VA will only pay when the costs are actually incurred; contract officer will include a clause in the contract allowing the cost to be added to the contract price at the time HAP is used.
- Moving Expenses - keep documentation of actual costs
- Malpractice -keep documentation of cost charged on department clinical account
- Other expenses - may include travel costs for conferences, membership dues, or licenses. All costs must have documentation that they are related to work done at the VA.
- Indirect Cost Rate of 20% - the Other Sponsor Activity rate without the equipment and building depreciation components since the VA provides space and resources
- It is unlikely that you will be able to negotiate a price that exceeds the actual costs. This negotiation is done by the Department, not RMG or the OSR Contract Officer.
- Departments are obligated to keep documentation of the costs charged to the contract. Prior to providing costs to the VA. the budget should be reviewed by RMG (Kathleen Thompson X50661 or Amy Higgins X87892)
- Once an agreement has been reached between the Department and the VA, the VA will generally send a copy of the contract for execution to the OSR Contract Office. OSR will then need the completed budget and a SU-42 signed by RMG.
