Home → VA Prosthetics → VA Handbook 1173.8 - Medical Equipment and Supplies → Beneficiary Services Contract
8.5. Beneficiary Services Contract
a. A local beneficiary services contract is indicated when:
(1) Delivery and pick-up services are not available within the facility resources.
(2) The hospital discharge may be delayed and/or the care and treatment of outpatients may be compromised because of the time incurred by normal procurement procedures.
b. Contract provisions may authorize the return of Government property in the possession of the contractor. The contractor must provide a monthly inventory of VA-owned property. Prosthetic Representatives must reconcile the inventory in the same manner as other prosthetic stock items. Unannounced periodic inspections must be conducted, as indicated, to resolve any differences.
c. A single contract may be established for services to a single medical center or to several medical centers within the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN).
d. Local contracts are negotiated by the Contracting Section of Acquisition and Materiel Management Service or VISN-established acquisition centers based on the needs, specifications, and work statements identified by PSAS.
e. The inclusion of Prosthetic Service responsibilities in Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) standards (e.g., Equipment Management) has made the use of a local contractor more important and more widely utilized for (at a minimum) delivery, equipment set-up, patient education and proper pick-up, cleaning, and storage of recovered equipment.
f. Prosthetic activities pay for the initial delivery, set-up, and installation of medical equipment (e.g., hospital beds, lifts, etc.) in the veteran's home. If the veteran relocates, the cost of the transfer of the equipment from one residence to another must be borne by the veteran.
