Request for Information: Medico-Legal Experts for the Road Accident Fund (RAF) Road Accident Fund

Transcription

1 Q and A Pack RAF/2018/00034: Panel of Medical Experts EMPLOYER: The Road Accident Fund ("RAF") RFP NUMBER: RAF/2018/00034 DESCRIPTION: Request for Information: Medico-Legal Experts for the Road Accident Fund (RAF) DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27 July 2018 BID CLOSING DATE: 13 August 2018 BID CLOSING TIME: 11h00 RFI RESPONSES MUST BE PHYSICALLY OR ELECTONICALLY SUBMITTED TO: Road Accident Fund 2 Eco Glades Office Park 420 Witch-Hazel Avenue Centurion 0046, Pretoria medicalrfi@raf.co.za RAF'S REPRESENTATIVE Monare Mashego: Monarem@raf.co.za 1. Which documents should we attach when we submit? Signed and completed RFI document Copy of HPCSA registration 2. Is it also applicable to a service provider who already have a RAF VENDOR Number? In my case RAF VENDOR # Yes 3. I am currently registered as a vendor with the RAF, do I need to resubmit documents?

2 Yes 4. I am currently working towards Honours BCOM Industrial Psychology, will be doing Masters from I am interested in being a consultant for RAF after my Masters, how do I get in touch with an Industrial Psychologist who is already a RAF medico-legal consultant.? This RFI is not intended for that purpose 5. Whether if I submit with one option eg. physically, I cannot submit electronically. Or can I also submit with both options? You may submit either electronically or physically. You need not do both. 6. Reading from the form, the compulsory document to be submitted is the HPCSA certificate. I see some questions on the form such as CSD registered, must I also attach proof of CSD? The only additional document to be submitted is the proof of HPCSA registration. 7. Just wanted to ask, I am an Industrial Psychologist. However, I have a registered company with 4 Industrial Psychologists working for me. Do I include the name of the business, only my details or all the Industrial Psychologist details on the tender? A separate RFI document should be completed for each medical practitioner in the company. 8. I have a company that works with different experts providing Medico-legal services to RAF. I would like to know as to how to fill the RFI since I work with different experts. Do I have to note all the experts HPCSA Registration numbers and their names? A separate RFI document should be completed for each medical practitioner in the company. 9. Is there a minimum and maximum hourly allowance per report? The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. 10. Would you want a timesheet and diagnosis as to justify the hours spent on a report? Would this include preparation, reading of expert reports, research about recommendations, work visits, phoning for collateral, typing of the report, etc The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 11. How will minutes/addendums be billed? Is this also on an hourly tariff? The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. 12. How will non-attendances be billed?

3 You may propose tariffs in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will 13. Who should be invoiced? Can we invoice RAF directly as in the past or is this new tariff going to be on the new arrangement via the attorney? This will be a main determining factor for our practice to survive financially as we need to pay our overheads and our therapists in order to pay them for work done during the month prior to us getting paid by RAF. If we change this arrangement with our therapists they lose motivation to work Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. 14. If we do invoice RAF, how long will payment terms be? Will the payment be from the date of invoice after finalising the report or only once the claim has been settled? And then how long? 90/120/180 days? Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 15. As an OT practice, we can only see 2 clients per therapist per day as an evaluation can take up to 4-5 hours. Other experts such as an ortho can see up to 8-10 clients per day so this will be influencing the billing system to our disadvantage. And if there are maximum hours, will all the experts not just bill the maximum hours? Will the maximum hours be per category as an ortho does not spend half as much time on a client and his/her report than we do? A report takes between hours for us to complete. The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 16. If an expert requests/ suggest an alternative tariff for services provided; will they be disregarded or penalised for their proposal i.t.o. providing services to the RAF? Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 17. I have experience with RAF 1, RAF 4 claims. Have worked intensively with MVA patients in casualty. I would like to apply for a Medico Legal Expert, Road Accident Fund. Please complete and submit the RFI

4 18. Why is it the Occupational Therapist are categorized separately from all other allied health care practitioners, and at a lesser rate? Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 19. What is the maximum number of hours that can be billed and how will you determine this? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 20. Why is it that there is no specific breakdown of services that can be billed for, as per previous Tariff structure? How do we bill for joint minutes, travelling costs, reservations without appearance, cancellation of reservations, etc. Many complaints were received that the previous tariff was restrictive and did not allow for proper assessment of matters. The intention is not to have a restrictive tariff structure. Final tariffs will be agreed before contracting. The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury. 21. Is this bid confirmation that the Fund will be paying us instead of us having to bill attorneys as per current arrangement? Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. 22. I am however concerned about the following statement: the RAF however reserves the right to negotiate the final standard pricing The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 23. Can I have an agreement from the RAF that payment would not be less than previous agreed tariff? Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be

5 24. Kindly advise on the remuneration process for interested medical service providers. Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 25. If we are not registered on the Central Data base system, will we be considered for the tender and provided with work. It is a requirement to be registered on the National Treasury Central Supplier Database to do business with Government, however for the purposes of this RFI the requirement is for the bidders to indicate whether they are registered or not. 26. If we are not on CSD, do we need to provide documentation for this tender as we have been awarded work as MEDICAL experts for the 2013 tender. If yes, what documentation need to be submitted. No, for the purposes of this RFI the requirement is for the bidders to indicate whether they are registered or not. 27. I m a Clinical Psychologist. In terms of the hourly tariffs, does it mean that if I have assessed a client for 3 hours and took about 5 hours to score and interpret results and to compile the report, I am going to receive payment of only R multiplied by total of 8 hours? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 28. Are there any supporting documents or additional forms which bidders need to submit or is it only the 7 page form on the website? The documents to be submitted are: o Signed and completed RFI document o Copy of HPCSA registration 29. The set amount of category A (Occupational Therapist), is there a minimum and maximum hours allocated to each case for example per diagnosis such as head injuries or orthopaedic cases. Does the amount exclude or include the number of hours for preparing for the assessment, actual assessment, compiling the report, obtaining collateral information, perusal of other expert documents/ reports The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff.

6 Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 30. Is the set amount inclusive of joint minutes, addendums, non-attendance and court appearances The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours for the different deliverables which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 31. How will the billing system work, is it via the attorneys or the directly to the RAF after compiling the report or completion of the claim Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 32. The set amount of category A (Occupational Therapist), is there a minimum and maximum hours allocated to each case for example per diagnosis such as head injuries or orthopaedic cases. Does the amount exclude or include the number of hours for preparing for the assessment, actual assessment, compiling the report, obtaining collateral information, perusal of other expert documents/ reports The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 33. Is the set amount inclusive of joint minutes, addendums, non-attendance and court appearances. How will the billing system work, is it via the attorneys or the directly to the RAF after compiling the report or completion of the claim The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours for the different deliverables which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work.

7 The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 34. Should an expert opt not to agree to the recommended rates, will this not disadvantage that expert from being allowed to do work for the Fund? Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 35. How many hours will an Industrial Psychologist be entitled to charge for receiving instructions, consultation, assessment and report compilation? So is there a limit to the number of hours an Industrial Psychologist can charge for this service of producing a report? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 36. When will the new base-line hourly tariff take effect? Only once agreed and contracted. 37. Be aware that a neuropsychological report tariff is R Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 38. Please can you clarify if completion of this document will allow me to serve on the Panel for the Gauteng region and the Durban region as I have 2 offices? Please submit clearly marked separate documents for each province where work will be performed. 39. Will it be in order to Submit all documents Electronically and Physically to the provided addresses You may submit either electronically or physically. You need not do both. 40. Our practise provides Industrial Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, and Actuarial services. The purpose of this RFI is not intended for actuarial services. 41. Should we complete three Bid Documents, or will one document with all fields listed suffice? A separate RFI document should be completed for each medical practitioner in the company. 42. Should we include our CSD Registration Report when we submit the Bid?

8 The documents to be submitted are: o Signed and completed RFI document o Copy of HPCSA registration 43. What is the document actually? It is not clear at all. Is it a bid that we all now have to tender again to be on some kind of panel? It is a Request for Information (RFI) and not a tender process to be included in the panel. 44. Who is this document aimed at? There is no indication. Is it all and any person with a medical qualification, or is it aimed at those who have experience in the forensic field? Is it for new graduates, or again professionals who have knowledge of what the medico legal field requires? The purpose of the RFI is to establish the availability of medical experts who can perform medicolegal assessments for the RAF. 45. Why are the OT rates, firstly so out of keeping with the current RAF tariff, and secondly so different to the other disciplines? We are as qualified as speech therapists for example, and in actual fact, as I am sure you are aware we usually provide critical information of the final employability of claimants and there losses from many different perspectives. Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 46. There is no indication on the hours we can charge for so is this any amount of hours? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 47. So basically to bid you have to fill out this form and deliver it and prove nothing? No supporting information? Is that right, just fill the form and deliver it, no additional documents? The documents to be submitted are: o Signed and completed RFI document o Copy of HPCSA registration 48. Will attorneys be able to choose to appoint anybody to see the claimants if your name appears on this list? The method of allocation and rotation of work will be decided based on the input obtained from National Treasury.

9 49. In the last tender, people who didn t get the tender were still allowed to do RAF work - will this still be the case? If we don t get on this list can we still be appointed? At this stage a decision in this regard cannot be made. 50. How is the RAF going to ensure the quality of reports remains at a professional standard? Substandard reporting and service may be reported to the HPCSA for consideration and appropriate action. 51. Who will be paying the accounts, the RAF directly? Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 52. If I hold a physical office in more than one location do you require one form or a form for each of those addresses A separate RFI document should be completed for each medical practitioner in the company and for each province where services will be rendered. 53. Please stipulate the basis on which the separation of occupational therapists from other allied health practitioners and the creation of a unique and separate category for them alone is respect of pricing and service? Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 54. What scientific and justified process was applied during such a separation? An independent research company was appointed to conduct the research. 55. If it is internationally accepted that occupational therapists are an integral member of the allied health team, along with physiotherapists, speech-language therapists and psychologists on what basis does the RAF separate the Occupational Therapist Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 56. Are you aware of the statement of September 2012 by the organisation of international chief health professions officers which include Occupational therapist as the Allied Health Professions and that this definition was drawn from member countries including South Africa? And what justification do you offer to separate Occupational Therapists from Allied Health Professions when they are included in such a definition? Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry

10 Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 57. When considering that the basic training requirements for Occupational Therapists in South Africa are like those for Speech Therapy i.e. 4 year university degree, explain why Speech Therapists are included in a separate category than Occupational Therapists? OT s alone are categorized A. Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 58. When considering the Occupational Information Database of the US department of labour, and that occupational therapists, speech therapists and psychologists fall into Job zone 5; Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 59. And furthermore the specific vocational preparation positions occupational therapy on a SVP level 8 like that of Speech Therapists, why is Occupational therapist alone categorized in A when Speech therapists are categorized in B? Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 60. It is noted that the tariff proposed form medico legal services rendered by occupational therapist are set at R760/hour, while the tariff proposed for those disciplines assigned to category B is R1158/per hour. In all cases these services provide consultation, reporting as well as court appearance. Please specify in detail how you calculated the tariff for category A and B and provide the evidence and science to apply your method and process. Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 61. On what basis do you recommend a different tariff for groups all belonging to the Allied Health Profession yet separated into Category A and B Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 62. The tariff offered to Occupational Therapists are sub-economical. What information has been considered when concluding on this tariff from an economic perspective considering inflation, medical inflation etc. Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates.

11 63. On what grounds does the RAF propose sub-economical tariffs to Occupational Therapists Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 64. Will the RAF be open to meeting with OTASA and The HPCSA in negotiating fair and appropriate tariffs before conclusion is made on this RFI The RAF is open to discussions with interested groups and acknowledge the correspondence received from OTASA and the HPCSA. Tariff discussions will however only take place after conclusion of the RFI. The purpose of the RFI is to establish the availability of medical experts to perform medicolegal assessments for the RAF. Tariffs will be negotiated and agreed before contracting. 65. Will Occupational Therapist be moved to Category B in line with other Allied Health Professionals Tariff discussions will take place after conclusion of the RFI. The purpose of the RFI is to establish the availability of medical experts to perform medicolegal assessments for the RAF. Tariffs will be negotiated and agreed before contracting. 66. Will the RAF bring the tariff for Occupational Therapist in line with the tariff offered to other Allied Health Professionals at R1158/hour Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 67. If interest is indicated on the RFI when will such a list become active for referrals The results of the RFI will be presented to National Treasury for a final decision. The timelines are dependent on the response time from National Treasury. 68. On what grounds will an expert be included 69. On what grounds will an expert be excluded The purpose of the RFI is to establish the availability of medical experts to perform medicolegal assessments for the RAF. The RFI is not the same as a tender process and does result in award. 70. Should one be accepted on to the list, will direct payments from the fund be possible opposed to claiming from the Attorney Firms? Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly. Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system.

12 71. I just wanted to ask regarding the above as the tariffs are not listed on the tender form. Is there any tariff that is however stipulated as according to the RAF? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 72. Please could you provide an indication as to the reasoning which resulted in occupational therapists being allocated their own category; with a significantly lower base hourly tariff than all other experts? Occupational therapy is an honours degree at all registered universities. Furthermore, most occupational therapists working in the medico legal field of practice have completed additional certifications in the use of standardised functional capacity assessment tools. These are imperative in fulfilling the requirements of determining the potential impact of the injuries sustained on the continued employment of the injured party I refer to Paragraph 2 of the aforementioned document in this regard. Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates. 73. With regard to the base hourly tariff, how does the Road Accident Fund intend to control the number of hours which are billed per expert for services rendered? Or is the purpose of this base tariff for it to be used to calculate a final and reasonable assessment and report fee for the relevant category experts? Should this be the case, will the RAF then take note of the fact that the occupational therapy assessment and report writing process is required to be a certain length in order to make a clear determination regarding capacity for work? Furthermore, the report writing process is usually more demanding and time consuming for the occupational therapist; who is usually required to integrate information obtained from all other medical experts into their report in order to establish a clear and holistic picture of the client. The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Many complaints were received that the previous tariff was restrictive and did not allow for proper assessment of matters. The intention is not to have a restrictive tariff structure. Final tariffs will be agreed before contracting. The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury. 74. Reference paragraph 2, page 3Given the large number of required services ( 70,000 medical appointments), should RAF through the satellite offices and the hospital centres not consider it efficient and effective to identify and use the medico legal experts residing and having practices and offices in

13 other provinces and towns rather than concentrate services and transport clients from other provinces to Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban for such services The intention is to have as many medical experts as possible across the entire country. Ideally we do not only want medical experts in the main centra. 75. Reference Pricing of services page 6 and page 7. What is the total hours allocated respectively to the Medico legal consultation, Reporting and Court appearance in the proposed base hourly tariff? In other words, how many hours are allocated to each of this service elements that the medico legal expert will perform i.e. 1 Medico legal consultation; 2 Report writing and 3 Court appearance The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 76. Can court appearance be separated and priced alone since this normally happens some months after Medico legal consultation and Report writing. The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates the different categories of service per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 77. How will cost of supplementary diagnostic investigations (X-Rays; CT scan etc) required during medico legal consultation/ assessment be paid to the service provider (Radiologist or Pathologist) in an area (town) where such provider is not listed on the RAF supplier database. Will the medico legal expert be expected to pay for such and claim it from RAF? The RFI does allow for ancillary service providers to partake in this process and you are encouraged to ask your regular service providers to also complete the RFI. Payment for supplementary diagnostic investigations will however still be allowed as a disbursement. 78. Can one register in more than one category? Example, as a trained and accredited CIME assessor, would it be possible to register in Category B (AMA trained medical practitioner) to deal will any general assessment and also register in Category C (in one's specific specialty where applicable) to deal with specific matters that pertain to that specialty e.g (ophthalmic surgery?) Yes, but please submit clearly marked separate RFI s for each category. 79. In the event that more investigations are necessary at the time of the assessment eg radiological investigations such as Xrays, CT scan or MRI, who is responsible for the account. Will it be for RAF or the bidder?

14 The RFI does allow for ancillary service providers to partake in this process and you are encouraged to ask your regular service providers to also complete the RFI. Payment for supplementary diagnostic investigations will however still be allowed as a disbursement, which the RAF will pay for. 80. What exactly is packaged in the hourly rate? What would be an average time expected for a report to be produced taking into consideration various processes and activities involved, such as assessment of medical records, consultation and examination of patient, collection of collateral information, compiling of medico-legal report and the RAF4 serious injury assessments etc.? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 81. Pease advice if we will be allowed to add additional medical experts to our team after the RFI is submitted. We will only be submitting certificates of current staff. This is an RFI, not the same as a tender process and does result in award 82. If allowed, what is the procedure for registering additional medical experts under our vendor number, after the submission has been closed and our bid has been successful? This is an RFI, not the same as a tender process and does result in award 83. Will new companies be able to join after the submission date is closed? When will they be able to reapply to be on the Panel? This is an RFI, not the same as a tender process and does result in award 84. However we find that the proposed rate of R to be far too low and the rate of category B of R would be more acceptable due to our level of skill and training. The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will be discussed and agreed before contracting. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 85. If you have a vendor number must you apply for this Yes 86. Is the proposed amount a consultation amount on the claimant or is it for the actual assessment and report The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final You may propose tariffs in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will

15 Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 87. I would like to be on the RAF panel of medical experts. I am an Occupational Therapist and need advice on additional documents that should accompany my request The RFI has to be completed and signed. A valid HPCSA certificate has to be attached; 88. Kindly clarify whether the abovementioned RFI requires that we only complete the attached document. Does it form part of the previous tender document we submitted for the same services? The RFI has to be completed and signed. A valid HPCSA certificate has to be attached; & No, it does not form part of the previous documents submitted The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final 89. Can you please indicate to me what Industrial Psychologists will receive per report / joint minute as well as the hours they may claim for testifying in Court. The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will be 90. Can we therefore assume that the current pricing structure/schedule medico legal services are going fall away entirely? And experts like in our case (category C) will submit invoices based on hourly rates instead of fixed prices. Yes, the current pricing structure/schedule are going to fall away; & No, not with all the services. There will be rules for certain functions which will be discussed and agreed before contracting The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final You may propose tariffs in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will Final tariffs will be agreed before contracting 91. I am an Occupational therapist. Do I need to be on the national treasury central supplier database to qualify to be a panel expert Yes, as RAF may only utilise service providers registered as suppliers on CSD With regard to "pricing of services" does the hourly rate you stipulate apply to consultation as well as compilation of reports? The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff.

16 93. If this is the case, what would the total payment typically be for providing a service that includes perusal of records, consultation with claimant and compilation of a medico-legal report that includes a RAF4? 94. What time is the service provider allowed for the report/s to be submitted? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final Any timelines of a service will 95. What is the time for payment of service provider after submission of invoices to the RAF? Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system. 96. Is there a formal date by which the outcome of the RFI will be made known to the applicants? No, the applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible 97. What is the validity period of the new contract (i.e. 1 year, 3 years, 5 years etc.)? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury A contract will be valid for the period agreed to as specified in the contract 98. Will the proposed hourly tariff for each category apply to the previous tariff structure as per the initial contract (i.e. separate charges for (i) preparation and receiving instruction, (ii) consultation and (iii) report compilation), or will the hourly fee be chargeable up to a certain cap? Many complaints were received that the previous tariff was restrictive and did not allow for proper assessment of matters. The intention is not to have a restrictive tariff structure. Final tariffs will be agreed before contracting. The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. 99. Will the tariffs be subject to annual inflationary increases? yes 100. Is there a formal date by which the outcome of the RFI will be made known to the applicants? No, the applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible 101. What is the validity period of the new contract (i.e. 1 year, 3 years, 5 years etc.)? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury A contract will be valid for the period agreed to as specified in the contract 102. Will the proposed hourly tariff for each category apply to the previous tariff structure as per the initial contract (i.e. separate charges for (i) preparation and receiving instruction, (ii) consultation and (iii) report compilation), or will the hourly fee be chargeable up to a certain cap? Many complaints were received that the previous tariff was restrictive and did not allow for proper assessment of matters.

17 The intention is not to have a restrictive tariff structure. Final tariffs will be agreed before contracting. The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final a. Will the tariffs be subject to annual inflationary increases? Yes b. Will fees be chargeable at the latest applicable tariff at the time of invoicing, so as to incentivise timely payment? No, the tariff at date of service will be applicable 103. Is the payment process going to be as per the latest directive (i.e. expert s invoice the panel attorneys, who in turn collect fees from RAF and pay the experts themselves)? Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly Are there going to be quality and/or performance management processes applied to the panel of experts? Yes 105. When completing the block for Address where service will be delivered : a. Does the address refer to the physical address of the service provider (i.e. office space from where they operate), or the RAF region in which the service provider wishes to deliver services to? It refers to the physical address of the service provider offices. b. Can one fill multiple addresses in on the same RFI document, or should separate documents be submitted per address? Please submit clearly marked separate documents for each province where work will be performed Will there be a rotation process applied to the selection of contracted experts, or will it be left to the discretion of the panel attorneys/direct claims officers? If the request yields the desired result, the Vendor Rotation System will be utilised Once the contract has been formalised: Will there be scope for panel attorneys/direct claims officers to make use of the services of noncontracted experts? No b. Will there be scope for contracted experts to service areas which they did not originally apply to do (i.e. if expert is based in East London, are they able to conduct assessments in Gauteng should the need arise?)? Please submit clearly marked separate documents for each province where work will be performed Please see the letter attached, received from our Professional Body OTASA which was sent to Mr Briel at the RAF; Comment from the RAF related to the content of the letter would be appreciated The RAF acknowledges the letter received from OTASA and is willing to engage with any interested parties Engagement on tariffs will however only happen after the RFI process is finalised The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final

18 109. Under pricing a medical person with AMA training falls in category B does this imply that an occupational therapist (category A) who has successfully completed AMA training will fall in category B as well? Occupational therapist falls in category A Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry Occupational therapists are welcome to propose alternative rates When and how will bidders receive feedback? Once the process is finalised, feedback will be provided Is bidding is unsuccessful, will there be opportunity to apply again in future? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final As mentioned above this is not a bidding process so there will be no unsuccessful bids Is it possible to be placed on a mailing list to receive continued communication with regards to service provider news, information, and requirements to remain as a service provider should there be structure/policy change? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury; Processes will be discussed and agreed before contracting 113. BIDDER NAME REQUESTED IS THIS A TENDER???? No, this is not a tender, it is a request for information The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final submission to National Treasury; 114. Pricing of services Category C set as R per hour--- of rendering what service? i) Consultation? One hour ii) reporting time? Allowed, iii) RAF4 compilation & completion? Time set aside. The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 115. Ancillary service of X-rays- as an Orthopaedic Surgeon myself cannot determine the fee of a Radiologist!!!!!!! The RFI does allow for ancillary service providers to partake in this process and you are encouraged to ask your regular service providers to also complete the RFI Payment for supplementary diagnostic investigations will however still be allowed as a disbursement, which the RAF will pay for Is it is mandatory to be registered on National Treasury Central Supplier Database (CSD)? Yes, as RAF may only utilise service providers registered as suppliers on CSD 117. Is the Personal Tax number sufficient? If you are not registered as a vat vendor you do not need to submit your tax number 118. I am currently seeing clients for RAF and plaintiff. Proceed to complete and submit the RFI

19 119. I have always billed at the prescribed RAF rates, The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry 120. I am Orthopaedic Surgeon with the only specialist in South Africa with a Masters ABIME qualification and I am on the board of the AMA Impairment medicine as the South African advisor Proceed to complete and submit RFI 121. Your proposed tariff of R2512 for category C does not state a maximum value allowed as all cases are different depending on the complexity. The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. You may propose tariffs in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 122. Is the RAF doing away with the fixed fee of R10700 for the medico - legal report and R5700 for the RAF4 Yes Research was conducted to establish a reasonable tariff structure which is based on industry You may propose tariffs in your submission, which will then be considered by the RAF, but all tariffs will Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 123. I have a Medico legal company that would cover all experts - do I need to register the company separately from me practicing as an individual. A separate RFI document should be completed for each medical practitioner in the company I am prepared to drive/fly out to more remote areas to make this service accessible to people and avoid them finding transport Please complete and submit the RFI and indicate the provinces you will be able to assist in 125. With my trained team i can see unto 20 clients per day I would like to have a meeting with your team to discuss what would want and how to manage this in the most efficient way. Consultations can only be held after completion of the RFI 127. You should be aware that many new doctors are doing medico legal reports and who don t understand the AMA guidelines fully. Substandard reporting and service delivery may be reported to the HPCSA for consideration and possible action 128. Is bidding is unsuccessful, will there be opportunity to apply again in future? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final

20 129. Is it possible to be placed on a mailing list to receive continued communication with regards to service provider news, information, and requirements to remain as a service provider should there be structure/policy change? The suggestion is appreciated and will be considered 130. I have three branches. Do I complete 3 RFI forms or just 1? Please submit clearly marked separate documents for each province where work will be performed Are hours going to be capped as polytrauma Occupational Therapy assessments and report take long? The RAF has a proposal on applicable hours, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff. Please note that no one will be disadvantaged based on any proposed tariff, but all tariffs will 132. Attorneys are sending unreasonable, expert-unfavourable contracts regarding payment terms which no self-respecting expert should sign. If they are not signed, the RAF panel attorneys simply cancel all appointments made. Once the process is completed and service providers contracted, engagements will once again be directly with medical experts 133. Will the RAF provide a universal contract to be used between the expert and the attorney? RAF will contract directly with the medical experts What insight does the expert have when payment has been made to the attorney? A query can be sent to medical expert payment queries at medicalexpertspaymentqueries@raf.co.za for a remittance spread sheet 135. How can the expert enforce that he/she is being paid for the services rendered? Non payment may be escalated to the RAF 136. We still have a huge amount of payments outstanding from attorneys from many years ago. We are medical professionals and not legal experts. A query can be sent to medical expert payment queries at medicalexpertspaymentqueries@raf.co.za for a remittance spread sheet 137. Who takes responsibility for payments during the interim period? Communication in this regard has already been provided to the medical experts and the attorneys 138. Whereas the hourly rate in category C is acceptable, question is: are the hours capped? Considering that it takes at least 7 hours for a Medico Legal report and a minimum of 2 hours for joint minutes. The RAF has established proposed reasonable hours which differentiates per category of service provider, but this will be discussed before contracting. The intention for now is only to establish a reasonable base tariff.

21 139. If the attorney does not agree to the expert s payment terms may the expert refuse to compile the joint minutes for example? Is this considered obstruction of justice? Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work We agree to the hourly rate as we have found that the majority of medico-legal reports take pretty much the same amount of time to complete, which is very closely aligned to the current RAF tariffs (to which we have also greed), however, there are occasions on which we receive a very large number of expert reports (sometimes up to 13 reports, both plaintiff and defendant) and/or have to contact a large number of collateral information sources. As the IP (Industrial Psychologist) is responsible for integrating all expert opinions and considering all sources of collateral information in order to make their postulations regarding past and future loss of earnings, these particular reports take much longer to write and finalise than most others. Special circumstances requiring additional hours will have to be motivated and approved by the RAF before the work is done 141. As such, please confirm whether additional hours can be invoiced for in light of the aforementioned. Special circumstances requiring additional hours will have to be motivated and approved by the RAF before the work is done Only if approval was obtained in advance, will the additional hours in the invoice be allowed Will bidders be required to sign an agreement with the RAF? Yes 143. When will the proposed tariff structure commence? After contracting 144. Duration of the agreement/tariff structure? The purpose of the RFI is only to obtain information which will form the basis of a final The duration of the contract will be discussed and agreed before contracting 145. Will the hourly tariffs be revised annually? If so, by what percentage will tariffs increase? The tariffs will be adjusted annually based on the inflation rate 146. Will experts who agree to the proposed tariffs be allowed to continue to render services for the RAF when the agreement expires? A contract will be valid for the period agreed to as specified in the contract 147. Is the hourly tariff of R1, inclusive or exclusive of VAT? VAT inclusive 148. Who will responsible for payment of expert accounts, the RAF or instructing attorneys? Once new contracts are entered into, the RAF will once again pay experts directly How long will experts need to wait for payment? Experts should invoice the RAF immediately upon finalisation of the work. The RAF endeavours to pay expert invoices within 30 days from the date when the payment is requested on the RAF payment system Will there be a limit on the amount of hours billed for specific services such as: Interviews and collating of collateral information medico-legal reports and addendum reports joint minutes