Question_and_Answers_-_RFP_-_15DDHQ18R00000008_Amend_1.pdf

15DDHQ18R00000008

(Amendment 1)

Questions and Answers

1.

QUESTION:

Please provide utilization information for the past two years, broken down by number of sessions for each CLIN on the schedule provided in Section B.

a) Clinical/Counseling services;

b) Clinical Briefing/Trauma Response services;

c) Basic Training/Preventative Education;

d) Specialized Training

e) Organizational Consultations.

ANSWER: FY2016 FY2017

a) Clinical/Counseling services 3435 3986

b) Clinical Briefing/Trauma Response services 174 158

c) Basic Training/Preventative Education 92 114

d) Specialized Training 7 9

e) Organizational Consultations 152 171

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

2.

QUESTION:

What was the total spend on the EAP contract for the past two years?

ANSWER:

2016: $1,607, 945.00; and

2017: $1,750,000.00.

3.

QUESTION:

What is the unit price for each line item on the DEA’s current EAP contract?

ANSWER:

The above request may be obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. See DEA’s webpage for submittal guidance.

4.

Exhibit G: Please clarify if the training materials for all topics listed will be provided by the DEA to the selected EAP vendor.

ANSWER:

Please note section C, part 4.4: “A list of proposed training topics and their respective curricula must be submitted with this proposal including time needed to present each training topic…. The contractor shall be responsible for overseeing the timely development, scheduling, and implementation of EAP specific training deliverables. The contractor shall be responsible for developing training materials, assuring the academic quality, topical content and population relevance of all curricular content and participant materials. The Contractor shall assure that the first training of this comprehensive national program occurs no later than ninety (90) days after the first day of the period of performance.”

In addition, existing training materials will be provided either by DEA or passed down from the incumbent during transition. The training materials list is not exhaustive and new subjects and updates to existing materials will need to be made.

5.

Exhibit G: If not, please specify the training topics for which materials will not be provided.

Please reference question 4.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

6.

QUESTION:

Exhibit G: Will DEA compensate for training development time for the new EAP vendor to develop materials for these topics?

No. This is part of the requirement and is captured in the total cost.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

7.

Exhibit G: Would this be billed by the hour under CLIN 0003?

No. Reference Question #6.

8.

SF 33 Travel: How should this be priced for purposes of the proposal? Is there a not to exceed amount that vendors should enter here? Or should the prices for these to line items be left blank since vendors do no enough information to estimate?

This should be left blank. A not to exceed amount will be filled in by the Government.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

9.

QUESTION:

SF 33: This schedule differs from the schedule on the SF 33 in that travel and ODC are both on CLIN 0006 and the costs are broken down by 4 regions. Should we complete both schedules, or only the schedule in the SF 33.

The Schedule of Supplies/Services (SF 33) of the solicitation should be completed. The government expects to receive four (4) submittals corresponding with the four (4) geographic regions. Each submittal should annotate which region it is providing rates. In addition, the rates on pages 4-8 of section B of the solicitation should be complete by regional rate per hour as well.

Please note that CLINS xxx1, xxx2, xxx3, xxx4, & xxx5 are main categories of the SubCLINs listed below each category CLIN. These will not be priced and will remain a quantity of -0-.

SubCLINs (e.g. xxx1A) should be filled in with a unit price and extended amounts for each of the four (4) geographic locations as mentioned above.

The solicitation (X) will ( ) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

10.

If both schedules are required can you please confirm that in the second schedule that breaks pricing down by region, we are to total cost by adding the cost of region in each line item in the last column. This does seem accurate. For example, if you add the cost of a clinical services for Region 1 plus Region2, plus Region 3 plus Region 4, the total will equal a much higher cost than the actual total of one hour of clinical services.

Reference answer to question # 9.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

11.

QUESTION:

How does this schedule relate to the one in SF 33; for example should the average of the cost per region equal the unit amount for the respective CLIN in the SF 33 Price Schedule?

ANSWER:

Reference answer to question # 9.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

12.

QUESTION:

4.1.1 (A): Will the vendor be assuming your current toll free number?

ANSWER:

Yes.

13.

4.1.1(B): This paragraph states “Have Key Personnel designated in the contract available in their office to receive client service requests from 9:00 a.m. to the respective time zone of the incident. Please clarify hours and time zone that Key personnel are expected to be available in their office on routine basis.

Core hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. of their respective time zone, Monday through Friday, with coverage by clinical staff available for critical incidents 24x7.

The solicitation (X) will ( ) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

14.

QUESTION:

4.4(N)(1)(B): Is there a letter “A” missing here and it starts with letter B under number 1., Client development Publicity?

ANSWER:

Yes. This is a clerical error.

The solicitation (X) will ( ) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

15.

4.4(N)(1)(B): How will the vendor bill for these items, under what line item?

This is part of the requirement and is captured in the total cost.

16.

5.0: Is job sharing for Key Staff positions permitted?

The requirement is for three (3) key personnel. Job-sharing for this requirement is not being considered.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

17.

QUESTION:

5.1: Must Key Staff be identified in the proposal, or may vendors describe their process for how they will recruit for these positions and ensure qualifications are met?

The staff members identified for the key personnel positions must be submitted at the time of proposal submittal, along with their resumes.

18.

QUESTION:

5.1: Does DEA envision that the Licensed Mental Health Clinician will be the primary person answering the toll free EAP number during core hours?

ANSWER:

Yes

19.

5.5, 5.6, 5.7: Are vendors required to submit names of remote clinicians, clinical trainers and clinical briefers with the proposal or can these be provided after award?

Yes. Please reference Section F.4 Deliverables (Page 38-39).

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

20.

QUESTION:

5.5, 5.6, 5.7: If required to submit names with proposal, please provide list of locations were the clinicians are needed.

ANSWER:

Please reference Exhibit A “Domestic Regional Map” and “DEA Domestic Field Divisions”

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

21.

9.1(1): When does DEA anticipate awarding the contract?

On or about July 2, 2018

22.

9.1(1): Section mentions 30 days for phase in. Does the phase in period start July 2, 2018?

ANSWER: Phase in period will begin upon contract award.

23.

9.1(1): How does the vendor bill for phase in services?

There are not separate CLINs used for Phase-In services. Billing will be based on approved rates and hours worked during the phase in process.

24.

4.4.1: New ACs will be paid to attend training based on an eight hour workday at base pay (based on the pay a new Area Clinician would be reimbursed for Specialized Training per hour) for each day of class. New ACs and existing ACs may be asked to provide a one to one and a half hour presentation to a Trauma Team class. The actual time the AC is providing a brief to the class can be considered a Specialized Training and can be billed at contracted rate for a Specialized Training service.

On the Schedule of Supplies/Services sheet there does not appear to be a line item for Specialized Training rates.

Can the Government clarify the reference to Specialized Training rates? Should CLIN 0004 be used?

ANSWER:

Yes. CLIN xxx4 will be used

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

25.

QUESTION:

Section: Forms and Record System (p. 32): Can records only be managed electronically, if all appropriate security parameters are in place, or are hard copy records also required?

Based on a variety of private practice preferences and the number of potential remote and area clinicians, hard copies are preferred.

26.

F.4 Deliverable Table: (Counseling Services): The RFP states that Area Clinicians, Remote Clinicians, Clinician Trainers and Clinical Briefers. Clinician’s name, professional license, phone numbers, office address, hours of availability, travel time from the designated DEA office(s) where they are to serve, insurance vendor(s) with which they are aligned, and foreign languages spoken. Due Date: Submitted with proposal.

Providing this information, for all categories of clinicians listed, in the proposal will be difficult with a 50 page technical proposal limit. Can this be provided as an attachment to the Technical Proposal beyond the 50 page limit? Do all categories of clinicians need to be listed for the proposal?

Yes. This deliverable may be submitted as an attachment not counted towards the 50 page limit.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

27.

L.10.1(c): Are four or two copies of the technical proposal required?

Two (2)

28.

L.10.1(d): States the requirement of CD versions for transmission of electronic versions of the technical and business proposal.

Rather than CD format, can the electronic versions of the Technical and Business proposal be e-mailed to Teresa Delgado at: in separate files and separate e-mails clearly labeled “Volume I – Technical Proposal” and “Volume II – Business Proposal?

If email is not allowed are memory sticks or thumb drives allowed rather than CDs?

No. Submittals must be CD format only.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

29.

QUESTION:

L.10.1(d): States the that “The electronic copies of the proposal shall be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word 2007, MS Excel 2007, and MS-Power Point 2007,”

Are Adobe PDF files permissible?

Yes, Adobe is acceptable for all submittals with the exception of Section B, Schedule of Supplies and Services.

30.

L.11: Time, Date and Place for Submission of Proposal says the proposal is due at 10:00 am on May 23 but the SF33 says 16:00, May 23. Which submission time does the Government desire?

4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, May 23, 2018

The solicitation (X) will ( ) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

31.

QUESTION:

M.2: “The proposal will be evaluated against evaluation factors in the areas of Program Management, Staffing Plan, Past Performance, Quality Control Plan, Training/Education Plan, and t. deviations/exceptions taken to this solicitation will not necessarily cause a proposal to be considered unacceptable. However, a large number of deviations/exceptions or one (1) or more significant deviations/exceptions may result in the rejection of the proposal as unacceptable.”

Was an additional evaluation factor intended to follow Training/Education Plan?

Yes, Factor 6: Transition Plan

32.

Page 4 – CLIN 0002

There is no minimum quantity identified in the base year or option years for CLIN 0004. All other CLINS have both minimum and maximum quantities identified.

Can the Government please clarify why this CLIN has no minimum, and if it should what that minimum number should be in the base year and option years?

ANSWER:

Clerical error. This has been corrected.

The solicitation (X) will ( ) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

33.

● CLIN xxx3 has Sub CLINS xxx4a-d - which is not the same as the CLIN/Sub Clin numbering on the SF 33 continuation sheets - please clarify which numbering is correct.

● CLIN xxx4 has Sub CLINS xxx5a-d - which is not the same as the CLIN/Sub Clin numbering on the SF 33 continuation sheets - please clarify which numbering is correct.

● CLIN xxx5 has Sub CLINS xxx6a-d - which is not the same as the CLIN/Sub Clin numbering on the SF 33 continuation sheets - please clarify which numbering is correct.

● There is no CLIN 7 (Other Direct Costs) which is in contrast to SF 33 continuation sheets which have CLIN 7 - please clarify which is correct.

This is a typo and will be corrected.

34.

The RFP states that the Minimum dollar value is guaranteed in the Base Year but no minimum is guaranteed for option years.

Please confirm whether this is intentional or not, and if it is intentional, can the government provide any guidance on how core operating and FTE Key Personnel labor costs solely designated for the DEA EAP should be maintained in option years without guaranteed minimums?

There is no minimum guarantee for option periods; a decision will be made annually by the government to determine whether the option still represents the best value to the government.

The solicitation ( ) will (X) will not be amended to reflect this clarification.

35.

QUESTION:

Will there be a period of overlap to ensure a smooth transition with the incumbent? If so what will that period be?

Reference question 22.