19GE5021R0052 questions set two.pdf

19GE5021R0052_00002 Health Insurance US Embassy Maputo Questions and Answers set two

Questions and Answers (Q&A)

RPSO has received the following eight (8) questions (Q) and is hereby providing the following answers (A).

1. Ref: Page 5, Item C

Q: Please clarify the Capping at max contract value requirement, what if a high-cost claim occurs which typically would be above this threshold?

A: The minimum and the maximum stated in this section does not refer to reimbursable claims paid by the contractor to the insured employee.

It refers to the minimum and maximum order value, the amount paid to the contractor by the Government for ordered services (in this case Health Insurance services / premiums).

The resulting contract will be an Indefinite Quantity / Indefinite Delivery type contract.

That means the quantities (number of insured employees) to be ordered are an estimate only and not a guaranteed number, therefore a minimum and a maximum need to be set.

Under the resulting contract the Government guarantees it will order services in the amount of at least $5,000.00. The maximum amount to be ordered is $20,000,000.00.

See also FAR 52.216-22 Indefinite Quantity https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.216-22

2. Ref: Page 10, Item A

Q: Can you please confirm the region of cover (excl Moz and SA), as that will impact directly on price.

A: Insurance coverage Area should include but not limited to Neighboring Countries.

However, please note that ,Medical expenses incurred out-of-country will be covered at the same benefit levels and subject to the same total maximum annual limit as medical expenses incurred in-country.

3. Ref: Page 15

Q: What does the "timely payment of benefits within 21 calendar days refer to? Is this perhaps a claims SLA? Does this mean that this excludes service-related complaints and if so, what is the threshold there?

A: Yes, this refers to the timely payment of claims by the contractor to the insured employee.

https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.216-22

19GE5021R0052_00002 Health Insurance US Embassy Maputo

Including a QASP in a services contract is standard for US Government contracts. It is a tool for the Contracting Officer´s Representative to work together with the contractor on achieving satisfactory performance.

There is no expressly declared threshold for service-related complaints about the contractor.

However, we would like to relegate to V.1.3 Complaint Procedures:

a. If USG personnel observe unacceptable services such as but not limited to lack of coordination during medical evacuation, extended referral periods, delays in receipt of payment, etc., they will immediately contact the COR.

Furthermore, the exercising of each of the option years by the US Government depends among other things on satisfactory performance by the Contractor.

4. Ref: Page 13; Item 1.16/1.17

Q: Please provide further clarity on excess coverage & Catastrophic coverage - We cannot provide this, is this a key dependency for awarding of the RFP?

A: This is a requested Benefit under this solicitation. If you do not offer this Benefit, that shall be stated in your proposal.

5. Ref Page 14, Item 1.21

Q: We do not have an EAP program but can avail services through an external supplier based in South Africa if high priority, will this be acceptable?

A: This is a requested Benefit under this solicitation. If you do not offer this Benefit, that shall be stated in your proposal.

Contractors may propose work with a sub-contractor. This needs to be addressed in the Technical proposal and will be evaluated by the Technical Evaluation Panel.

6. Q: Can an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) be signed before tender submission date since we will be sharing confidential information?

A: The US Government is using NDAs internally during the evaluation process.

Before the Contracting Office (RPSO) sends the technical proposals to the Technical Evaluation Panel for their evaluation, all panel members need to submit a signed NDA to RPSO. They will have to certify that the information on the contents of the responses and the evaluation of the

19GE5021R0052_00002 Health Insurance US Embassy Maputo responses will be kept confidential, and they will not discuss any such information with anyone other than those persons with a need to know or the cognizant Contracting Officer.

18 United States Code §1905 (Disclosure of confidential information generally) applies:

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1905%20edition:prelim)%20OR% 20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1905)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

7. Q: Is this tender open for broker participation?

A: This solicitation is being competed under full and open competition. Any contractor may submit a proposal.

• DOSAR 652.242-73 AUTHORIZATION AND PERFORMANCE (AUG 1999) applies.

• The company submitting the proposal (the company which has completed and signed the SF449 and provided their DUNS number and in which name the SAM registration is), will be considered as the contractor.

• The Government intends to award to the lowest priced, technical acceptable, responsible offeror (See section 4 - Evaluation Factors).

8. Q: Our contracts are governed by local jurisdiction, which is mandatory, we would require that the client be open to signing our version, will this be an issue?

A: The Contracting Officer will only sign the contract issued by the US Government.

The contract will be sent to the contractor first for their signature.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1905%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1905)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1905%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1905)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1905%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1905)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true