Questions-Answers 24R0008.pdf

LE Staff Health and Group Life Insurance Services

Embassy of the United States of America

Bridgetown, Barbados and St. Georges, Grenada

Solicitation 19GE5024R0008

Questions and Answers

Q1: Will the federal past performance/experience be a strict requirement, or will clients with businesses suffice when listed as past performance/experience?

A1: To be considered relevant, services must be similar in scope, magnitude and complexity as the services prescribed in the SOW.

Q2: Will the SF-1449 serve as the cover sheet for the RFP, or are offerors allowed to create a personalized cover sheet/table of contents?

A2: Offerors are allowed to create a personalized cover sheet/table of contents.

Q3: Is 500 the standard size for completing block 10, if the company did not manufacture certain items?

A3: (A) Standard Form 1449 (SF-1449) The Offeror shall complete blocks 12, 17, 19-24 and 30, as appropriate, of the SF1449.

Q4: Should the IRS Form W-14 be completed by offerors outside of the United States providing services or products, not offerors within the United States?

A4: Please read Attachment 4 - Instructions for Form W-14.

Q5: What can serve as Financial Evidence to demonstrate the financial condition/capability of a company?

A5: Please see Section 3,Volume 2(B)a): This shall include information about the company's history, financial condition, and capability. Evidence of financial resources shall include as minimum information on the ownership of the company,

• a declaration of total debt including both long term and short-term debt, and

• a declaration of total current sales / revenue.

Local Companies are requested to provide the following as an addition to the above mentioned requirement:

For a local company, Barbados stock exchange, https://bse.com.bb/markets/listed-companies?filter=all&mode=filter. Information from the Company’s website stating annual reports, financial statements.

https://bse.com.bb/markets/listed-companies?filter=all&mode=filter https://bse.com.bb/markets/listed-companies?filter=all&mode=filter

Q6: When calculating the Amount for block 24, does this include services + flat fees, or solely the cost of services for the base years and option years?

A6: Please see Section 1. III Prices A.1.: The contractor shall complete all work, including furnishing all labor, material, equipment and services, unless otherwise specified herein, required under this contract for the firm fixed unit prices indicated below and within the time specified herein. These individual prices shall include all labor, materials, profit, and, if applicable, value added tax (VAT).

Any costs not separately priced will be considered to be included in the individual prices as overhead or other indirect cost. No additional sums will be payable on account of any escalation in the cost of materials, equipment or labor, or because of the contractor's failure to properly estimate or accurately predict the cost or difficulty of achieving the results required by this contract. Nor will the contract price be adjusted on account of fluctuations in the currency exchange rates.

Q7: Group Medical Requirements:

US Embassy to be requested to provide or confirm existing Schedule of Benefits based on benefits information contained in document titled (Solicitation 24R0008) (We require understanding if plan is Comprehensive Major Medical or Medical Assistance /Supplementary Major Medical as well as Major Medical coverage and other benefit lines offered under Major Medical)

A7: Plan is a Comprehensive Major Medical plan. Other benefits in addition to Mandatory benefits include:

Catastrophic Coverage Out-of-Country Medical Treatment Out-of-Country Medical Travel

Q8: Group Medical Requirements:

Details of 5 years Loss Ratio up to March 2024 to be requested from US Embassy given only claims information submitted up to period 2022

A8: See attached Exhibit C and Exhibit D.

Q9: Group Medical Requirements:

Details of any claim incurred but not yet received.

A9: No outstanding claims.

Q10: Group Medical Requirements:

Details of existing premiums for individual insureds

A10: It is not the government´s intention to release this information. This does not affect contractor rights under the freedom of information act. Furthermore, this is going to be a new contract with a different statement of work.

Q11: Group Medical Requirements:

Details of any large claims above $10,000 received during review period

A11: Large claim: Employee’s son was critically ill, sought out of country treatment. Please see Exhibit G.

Q12: Group Medical Requirements:

Details of any medical conditions affecting group

A12: This includes, but is not limited to, Noncommunicable diseases (NCD’s), (diabetes, hypertension, asthma), lupus, hypothyroidism to name a few.

Q13: Group Medical Requirements:

Confirmation of Tier Distribution as totals are provided but not quanta per insured

A13: The below includes Grenada:

EO Employee Only 63

E1 Employee + 1 Dependent 41

EF Employee + Family 37

Q14: Group Medical Requirements:

Confirmation of total census for both Grenada & Barbados

A14: Grenada Barbados ORE rider Family coverage 2 35 0 Employee only 1 62 2 Employee +1 2 39 1 Total employees: 5 136 3

Q15: Group Medical Requirements:

Confirmation if relationship is a brokered relationship or direct relationship

A15: It is not the government´s intention to release this information. This does not affect contractor rights under the freedom of information act.

We are intending to issue a contract to a contractor to provide us with Health and Life Insurance services. Any offeror may submit a proposal conforming with the terms and conditions of our solicitation and in accordance with the Instructions to Offerors. Award will be made to the lowest priced technical acceptable and responsible offeror.

Q16: Group Life Requirements:

Group Life loss ratio for 5-year period

A16: Please see answer 8.

Q17: Group Life Requirements:

Details of any deaths or accidents within period under review

A17: No deaths over past 5 years. One ongoing workers’ compensation accident.

Q18: Group Life Requirements:

Confirmation of exact salary paid to employees as Group Life is salary based however only salary ranges are provided

A18: See attached Exhibit E and Exhibit F.

Q19: Group Life Requirements:

Confirmation of Critical Illness benefit and if Long-Term Disability being in place given referenced solicitation document advises of coverage for diseases characterized by us (vendor) as critical illnesses

A19: Please see Section 1. IV.A.1.14, A.1.16 and B.1.2.

Q20: Additional Queries:

Is there a requirement for 4-year guarantee of Group Medical & Group Life rates:

A20: This is a fixed price with economic price adjustment requirements type contract – The Prices are fixed and will not be adjusted based on the base/current claims history. Please see FAR 52.216-1 – Type of Contract (on page 56 of 77) and Section 1.A.3.1. “Economic Price Adjustment, Premium Adjustment Based on Experience”.

Q21: Additional Queries:

Is there a requirement for insureds in Grenada to be provided coverage under Barbados Schedule of Benefits, or is there a requirement for Grenada insureds to be covered under separate Schedule of Benefits

A21: Grenada will be covered under the Barbados schedule of benefits.

Q22: Additional Queries:

Is there an intention for all listed benefits to be covered under the finalized Schedule of Benefits

A22: Yes.

Q23: Additional Queries:

Is there a Critical Illness benefit in place for $135,000

A23: Yes, same as in Catastrophic illness – See section A.1.16. “Catastrophic Coverage” of the statement of work.

Q24: Please provide average insured member counts (separately for the US Embassy in Barbados, and the US Embassy in Grenada) for Health and Life Insurance for the last 5 years – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 & 2018.

A24:

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Barbados 131 135 129 125 124 125 Grenada 5 3 3 0 0 0

Q25: What services are to be considered under Pediatric Services ?

A25: Please see section A.1.6. of the statement of work: Primary and preventive routine care services for covered dependent children, including, but not limited to: physical examination, developmental assessment, laboratory tests, and immunizations recommended by local authorities or the World Health Organization.

Q26: Can the associated salary codes be provided for the summary census data?

A26: Please see exhibit B, exhibit E and exhibit F.

Q27: Can clarity be provided on Catastrophic Coverage ? (A.1.16) ,Would Critical Illness coverage suffice?

A27: Catastrophic coverage addresses major medical conditions occurring as a result of a single illness, accident, or closely related set of major illnesses (or conditions relating to a single accident) that exceed the standard maximum coverage limit. Catastrophic coverage is not limited to a single critical illness and a critical illness plan that offers a lump sum payment in the event of a specific covered illness or condition would not be sufficient.

Q28: Does the annual maximum limit at A.3.4 refer to annual maximum on the lifetime major medical maximum coverage?

A28: Annual Maximum Limit refers to the annual coverage per covered individual per contract year. No lifetime maximum is stated.

Q29: Is a calendar year limit of USD$ 3,200 to be implemented for Dental Coverage?

A29: Please see section A.1.11. of the statement of work. The maximum coverage is USD 3,200 per covered individual per contract year.

Q30: Can a variation of the report details requested in V.4 be provided to avoid any data privacy violations.

A30: Reports can be stated without group number or any other identifiable markings. No privacy issues noted.

Q31: Would the Risk Mitigation Plan mentioned at V.15 have an impact on the group policy remaining in effect?

A31: No.

Q32: Would the Risk Mitigation Plan mentioned at V.15 have an impact on the enrollment of status employees and/or their dependents?

A32: No.

Q33: The current policy year runs from July. Is it being change to June in the event of a successful bid?

A33: Yes.

Q34: Can clarity be provided with reference to the wording 80% minimum coverage and 50% minimum coverage noted under the Health Insurance services section?

A34: These percentages refer to Reasonable and Customary charges., i.e. 80% of R&C

Q35: In section A.1.10 Optical is there a calendar year maximum benefit payable?

A35: No, please see section A.1.10 of the statement of work. The maximum coverage is USD 300 per covered individual every two years.

Q36: Please provide the claims data for the year 07/01/2022 to 06/30/2023 as well

A36: Please see answer 8.

Q37: Could you please provide separate claims data for the US Embassy in Barbados, and the US Embassy in Grenada?

A37: All claims’ data is provided under Barbados - please see answer 8.