Professional Drug Screening Services Inc.

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Ask These Important Questions Before Selecting A Consortium/Third Party Administrator (C/TPA)

Ask These Important Questions Before Selecting A Consortium/Third Party Administrator (C/TPA)

    1. What is a C/TPA?
    2. Would I have a specific customer representative? Would we receive personalized service?
    3. Would I have a 24 hour contact that can give me direction in an emergency situation?
    4. What are your hours of operation?  Your collection site hours of operation?
    5. Who in your organization is versed in DOT’s 49 CFR Part 40 and its specific DOT Modes, i.e. Federal Hwy?  What is their experience and credentials?
    6. How are changes in Federal Regulations, State Law and Labor Board Regulations communicated to us?
    7. Would you write DOT and/or Non DOT Drug Free Workplace Policies?  What is included in the Policy?  What is the cost?
    8. Would you provide policy updates and addendums to our workplace policy as regulations and laws change? Would this be an additional charge?
    9. Would you offer review and rewrite, if necessary, of our current workplace policy?   What is the cost?
    10. Can you provide a minimum of 3 references?
    11. What type of Program Management and Collector Certifications do you have?
    12. What labs do you utilize, are they SAMHSA Certified?
    13. Would you provide electronic testing authorizations, testing instructions and collections for our company? How does this process work?
    14. Would you offer mobile on-site testing for breath alcohol collections and urine drug screens?
    15. How often would we be billed?  Is billing centralized (does it include collection site, MRO, Lab analysis cost)?
    16. What if I receive a bill from a collection site?
    17. Would you locate collection sites for my employees? 
    18. Would all of your collection sites offer Certified Breath Alcohol Technicians with the ability to do both screening and printed confirmation testing?
    19. How would you track DOT results if the collection site does not forward DOT CCF’s?  What is your procedure?
    20. What would be your protocol for collection site issues and errors? (ask how they handle Fatal Flaws, Bashful Bladder, adulterated specimen)
    21. What would be your protocol if a collection site uses the wrong custody and control form?  Would you be able to switch it to your Medical Review Officer? Are there additional charges for this?
    22. Can you provide collector credentials? Are they certified?  How often would you Reconfirm credentials?
    23. What is your turnaround time for results?
    24. Are you knowledgeable in the FMCSA Clearinghouse procedures and do you offer FMCSA Clearinghouse support? 
    25. What type(s) of statistical reports would you provide? How often? Is there an additional cost for these or lost reports?
    26. If I have a DOT audit would a representative help me? Would there be an additional cost?
    27. What would be the turnaround time for receiving missing reports and/or results for an audit? Would there be an additional cost for these?
    28. Would you provide support, testimony and documentation for Unemployment Hearings? Would you participate in the hearing? Would collectors and MRO be available to participate in these hearings?  Would there be a cost for this service?
    29. Who is the Medical Review Officer?  What are their credentials and how long have they been reviewing DOT Results?
    30. What would be the MRO process for reviewing results?  What if they need to contact a donor?  How many days do they give the donor to respond? What is the time of day calls are made? How many attempts are made to contact the donor?
    31. What type(s) of litigation support would you, your lab and Medical Review Officer Offer?  What would be the cost for these services?
    32. Would you provide the required DOT Supervisor Reasonable Suspicion/Cause Training? How often would training be offered?  Would the training be on-site, classroom or on-line? What would be the cost?
    33. Would you provide Employee Education with regards to our Drug Free Workplace Testing Program?  How often would training be offered?  Would the training be on-site, classroom or on-line? What would be the cost?
    34. How would randoms be selected and completed?  How would this information be communicated to me?
    35. Would you provide me with a notification for my employees that have been selected for random testing?
    36. Do you have a DOT Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) on staff?  Would you assist with the employee SAP recommended follow-ups, evaluations and provide reminders when SAP Follow-up tests are due?