Amendment 2.docx

Amendment No. 2

RFP#12-250-SOL-00156

Responses to Questions on RFP #12-250-SOL-00156-ebd

1. After a review of the file, I wanted to inquire whether the solicitation is full and open or a small business set aside. Please advise.

Answer Solicitation #12-250-SOL-00156 is a 100% Small Business Set Aside.

2. The file titled “BHPR59GPAT for #00156.docx” that includes Attachment B appears to be missing. Can you please send us this file, or reload it on the FedBizOpps website.

Answer The GPAT (Attachment B) was provided on Amendment No. 1 to this solicitation.

3. Is this opportunity in fact limited to companies at or below the 7M Size Standard?

The NAICS for this opportunity, 541910, is for a 7M Size Standard.

Answer Yes. The Small Business Administration changed size standard for this code to $14.0M effective March 26, 2012

4. Even though the RFP does not appear to stipulate that the opportunity is a Small Business Set-Aside, this language on page 27:

The Offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically via the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) website at http://orca.bpn.gov. After reviewing the ORCA database information, the Offeror verifies by submission of the offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically have been entered or updated within the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201); except for the changes identified below [Offeror to insert changes, identifying change by clause number, title, date]. These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.

Appears to suggest that companies must certify they are at a size standard consistent with that NAICS.

Answer Yes companies must certify that they are at the size standard consistent with the NAICS code for this requirement.

5. I am trying to find out if the NPDB-HIPDB Users' Survey is a new requirement or if an incumbent exists? If there is someone performing/performed this requirement could you please provide any of the following information:

Answer The survey is a new requirement and there isn’t an incumbent contractor.

6. The FBO announcement (accessed August 15) states in the very first sentence of the synopsis that HRSA “is soliciting proposals from small businesses” and that the procurement is “100% Small Business Set-Aside.” Yet, there is no indication in the RFP or the cover letter that it is SBSA. Please clarify. Is it SBSA or not?

Solicitation #12-250-SOL-00156 is a 100% Small Business Set Aside.

7. The FBO announcement (referenced above) states that a “firm fixed fee” contract is anticipated. Pages 5-7 of the RFP appear to be suited to a cost plus fixed fee contract, as there is a requirement for break-out of direct and indirect costs and negotiation of an indirect cost rate. Yet, the cover letter to the RFP states that it will be “firm fixed price.” Please clarify—will it be cost plus fixed fee or fixed price?

Answer HRSA anticipates a Firm Fixed Price award on this solicitation.

8. On page 1; Questions or issues for which you require clarification or correction by the Government must be furnished electronically to bdowney@hrsa.gov In order to allow a reply to be provided to all prospective Offerors before submission of their technical proposal, your questions must be received no later than 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on August 21, 2012. Questions received after the due date and time will not be considered. No Exceptions.

L.2 Inquiries

All questions and/or inquiries concerning this solicitation must be submitted in writing to Elizabeth B. Downey, Contract Specialist by email at bdowney@hrsa.gov by 2:00 PM., Eastern Standard Time, August 28, 2012. Questions submitted after the due date will not be accepted. Any resulting addition, deletion, or change to the RFP document will be made by issuing a formal amendment, which may be downloaded from http://www.fedbizopps.gov. Offerors are instructed specifically to contact only the issuing contract office in connection with any aspect of this requirement prior to contract award.

Could you please clarify?

Answer Questions were due August 21, 2012. Section L.2 has been change to reflect the August 21, 2012 date.

L.2 Inquiries

All questions and/or inquiries concerning this solicitation must be submitted in writing to Elizabeth B. Downey, Contract Specialist by email at bdowney@hrsa.gov by 2:00 PM., Eastern Standard Time, August 21, 2012. Questions submitted after the due date will not be accepted. Any resulting addition, deletion, or change to the RFP document will be made by issuing a formal amendment, which may be downloaded from http://www.fedbizopps.gov. Offerors are instructed specifically to contact only the issuing contract office in connection with any aspect of this requirement prior to contract award.

9. Can HRSA provide guidance with respect to the sample sizes required?

Answer The sample size should be large enough to provide results that are statistically significant. We have at least 10 different types of entities. Some entity types have more members than others.

10. On page 43, the SOW states that HIPDB and NPDB will be merged, and this is targeted to be completed in 2012. Since the survey is to be conducted post-merger, should the instruments measure experience with the NPDB and HIPDB separately or in their new merged format?

While the merge is supposed to take effect in 2012, the same logic will apply because NPDB and HIPDB reporters and queriers will remain under separate authorities.

11. The description of task 6.7 on page 51 references Task 5.6 which is not listed. Can HRSA please clarify?

Task 5.6 has been removed. The language has been incorporated into Tasks 5.1 and 5.2.

12. Can our company use our established GSA MOBIS rates to bid on this project?

Answer Yes but not required.

13. Now that the NPDB and HIPDB will be merged, what is the impact on the sampling and analysis plans for the surveys?

Answer As of this date, the NPDB and HIPDB have not merged. The merge should not impact the sampling and analysis because the number of entities will not change.

14. There is a requirement to revise the data instruments and sampling scheme. Can the government provide those from the previous study for our review?

Answer No. The revisions refer to the instruments developed for this particular survey as needed.

15. Can the government provide the final report for the Gallup survey? Can we assume that the study design is part of the final report?

Answer No, the Government cannot provide the final report. The size and scope of the Gallup survey differs substantially from the work HRSA is currently proposing; HRSA is looking for fresh and innovative ideas for conducting the survey in the current solicitation.

16. What response rates were achieved during the last study?

Answer The goal for this survey is 80%.

17. Page 31 of the RFP, under L.4.7, the last sentence is not complete. It seems a list is missing. Can the government please clarify and provide the missing information?

Answer Section L.4.7., the last sentence is this section is deleted in its entirety. The Section is changed to read as follows:

L.4.7. The technical proposal shall not exceed 150 single-spaced pages, including resumes and other required appendices. Offerors are advised to strictly observe limitations on the length and format specified since review of the proposal will be limited to 150 pages.

18. In order for us to prepare a sampling plan, can we get the total numbers for each of the various entities registered in the databases? How many malpractice payers, licensing boards, hospitals, managed care organizations and other health care entities? Can the numbers be provided by those who queried and those who did not (users versus non users)? If professional societies are involved in this project, how many of them are registered in the databases?

Keep in mind that these numbers may change and that the figures below may contain some duplicates.

With regard to users versus non-users, we cannot provide information on those who are not registered.

19. In order to stratify the hospital sample, how many small urban and large rural hospitals are registered in the databases?

Answer HRSA currently does not classify our hospitals as small urban or large rural. The offerors are welcome to propose a classification system.

20. We understand that we need to sample matched queries once the sample of entities has been drawn? We also understand that some entities could have more than one matched report. Should we assume one per sampled entity for budgeting purposes, or does the government have a different suggestion?

Answer Offerors can assume one per sampled entity.

21. What can we assume to be the time period for selecting the sample? Should we assume from January 2012-March 2013 or some other time frame?

Answer Offerors can assume a 2 year time frame.

22. Under Task 5.4, pilot testing, we have two questions:

· Will the pilot test also include a testing of the matched query response aspect of the project?

Yes

· Will “other health care entities” be included in the pilot?

Yes

23. Task 9.2 on Solicitation page 52 requests data files in SAS and SPSS formats, please confirm that both formats are needed rather than just SPSS.

Answer HRSA requires the final edited data files to be submitted in tabbed ASCII and in a well-documented format that is easily read by statistical packages including SAS and SPSS.

24. Who has performed (or been awarded) this work in the past?

Answer The Gallup Group was awarded a contract in 2006.

25. Section 5 of the proposal is to detail a Personnel Plan. Is it recommended that all staff positions listed be part of the team?

Answer Yes, however not all positions require full time.

26. Section H.2 Printing and Duplicating states the printing of government documents must be accomplished through the GPO and the inclusion of printing is prohibited unless authorized by the JCP and to not engage in subcontracts for printing except for production of less than 25,000 production units which will not be deemed printing.

Does this mean that contractors may print or subcontract for printing survey materials up to 25,000 units without using the GPO?

Answer Yes

27. Is there a report from the NPDB and HIPDB Market Survey and Survey Use of Data Bank Information by Queriers (2007-2008) mentioned under Section 1.1 available for viewing or downloading?

Answer No, there isn’t any information available for viewing or downloading.

28. Will there be lists available from HRSA for ‘non-users’ of both databases (NPDB and HIPDB)? If not, can HRSA provide any additional guidance for constructing the sampling frames for these two populations?

Answer No, there are no lists available for non-users. HRSA understands that considerable effort will be required to identify, sample, and survey the non-user portion of this project.

29. What are the sample size requirements for the User and the non-User surveys? Please specify the sample size requirements (or the corresponding precision requirements) for the different survey and entity types.

Answer Please see the answer to question #9.

30. Will it be necessary to plan for any follow-up Non-response bias study to assess if the main study results are subject to any non-response bias?

Yes

31. The cover letter indicates that responses are due no later than 11:00am on September 7, 2012. Section L.1.3 on Page 29 of the solicitation indicates that responses are due no later than 12:00pm on September 7, 2012. Please clarify the correct time.

Proposals are due September 7, 2012 at 11:00a.m.

Section L.1.3. is changed to read:

You must submit your proposal as stated below to be considered responsive to this RFP (no exceptions).

The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization and must be submitted by September 07, 2012 at 11:00am Eastern Standard time.

Submit the one (1) original, Five (5) copies and 1 electronic copy (Office 10 format) of Volume I – Technical Proposal and Volume II – Business Proposal to:

Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Acquisition Management and Policy Division of Contracts Services - 3 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 13A-43 Rockville, Maryland 20857 Attention: Elizabeth B. Downey

Note: Due to increased security measures at federal buildings, please allow extra time for your proposal to be delivered to the contracting office in room 13A-43 of the Parklawn Building. All proposals must be delivered through the loading dock located in the rear of the building on Parklawn drive. After packages have been scanned, Offerors will be instructed to call 301-443-2750 or 301-443-1433 to gain access to the building. Proposal must be delivered by the designated date and time specified. Failure to use the specified address could result in your proposal being delivered late. If using a local courier service, please ensure that the service has current access to the building.

32. The solicitation states that the offeror shall be responsible for requesting three (3) references to submit the Contractor Performance Report (Attachment E) to the Contract Specialist (Elizabeth B. Downey) no later than September 7, 2012, 11:00 am EST by fax at (301) 443-5462 or bdowney@hrsa.gov (no exceptions). However, the Past Performance Section is shown as Section F of the RFP. Please clarify.

Section M.4., titled Evaluation Criteria, subparagraph 7, “Past Performance”; the instructions did state “…three (3) references to submit the Contractor Performance Report (Attachment E)…” The instructions should have read (Attachment F).