19KE5025R0001 Preproposal Conference Minutes.docx

MINUTES OF LE HEALTH INSURANCE SERVICES SOLICITATION PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

HOSTED BY THE US EMBASSY NAIROBI

Solicitation Number: 19KE5025R0001 Date: May 09, 2025 at 9:00 AM Embassy Members Present:

· Leslie Marks, Contracting Officer (CO)

· Eric Kamau, Contract Specialist (CS)

· Billy Otieno, Contract Specialist (CS)

· Gaudencia Kamire, Procurement Agent

· Eva Magak, Human Resources Assistant

· Mildred Ahenda, Human Resources Management Specialist

· Anne Ngina, GSO Assistant Representatives Present:

· 23 representatives from 11 prospective bidder companies Introduction:

· The meeting commenced with opening remarks from the Contracting Officer, who welcomed all attendees and emphasized the importance of transparency throughout the solicitation process. She reiterated the Embassy’s commitment to conducting a fair and open procurement process.

· Vendors signed the attendance sheet.

· The Contract Specialist began the meeting by introducing the Embassy attendees. He urged all vendors to ensure they are registered and active on SAM.gov, the official platform for procurement communications and submissions, and reminded participants about the annual re-registration requirement.

The Solicitation Process:

Purpose of the Meeting:

· The primary objective of the session was to:

· Provide vendors with a clear understanding of the Embassy’s health insurance requirements.

· Guide vendors on how to review and respond to the solicitation document.

· Address preliminary questions and clarify expectations regarding the bidding process.

· A pre-solicitation conference for Health Insurance Services (19KE5021R0001) was held. The CS explained the purpose of the meeting to ensure prospective offerors understood the significant solicitation requirements and to provide instructions for official question submissions. Vendors were informed that all questions related to the solicitation should be submitted to the Contracting Officer (CO) in writing via the email: NairobiGSO-Contracts@state.gov on or before Tuesday, May 13, 12 noon (East Africa Time). Responses to these questions will be disseminated to all offerors electronically along with the meeting minutes on TBC once cleared.

Vendors were reminded of the following submission requirements:

· All vendor proposals must be submitted through SAM.gov.

· Vendors were encouraged to submit their proposals well before the deadline to avoid disqualification due to technical issues or last-minute errors.

· The Embassy will only consider complete proposals that meet all the specified documentation requirements.

· Vendors should pay particular attention to Blocks 12–15 in the solicitation document for submission timelines and instructions.

Proposal Structure and Financial Submissions:

· Proposals must include pricing for a five-year coverage term, structured as follows:

· Base Year

· Option Year 1

· Option Year 2

· Option Year 3

· Option Year 4

· Six-month extension (if required)

· All invoices must be zero-rated for VAT.

Section A - Model Contract:

· Instructions were provided on how to populate SF 33 (#’s 12-18), and vendors were advised to review Section L of the solicitation document carefully.

Section B - Prices:

· The CS discussed Section B in detail, highlighting the importance of understanding the 2% excise tax deduction from premiums on each payroll cycle.

· Clarified the pricing table in Section B.2.3, explaining that the numbers in the chart represent current figures and that any adjustments will be communicated via SAM.gov.

Project Details:

· The schedule, scope, period of performance, pricing table, and terms and conditions were discussed. This included a review of:

· Quality Assurance & Surveillance Plan

· Complaints & Procedures

· COR verification & Role VAT & Invoices:

· VAT will not be accepted on invoices (refer to Section B.2.1).

· Vendors were reminded to ensure that their proposal includes all elements specified in the SOW (Statement of Work) within the solicitation document.

Section B.3 - Retention Amounts:

· Participants were advised to fill in retention amounts as related to the premium amount, which is based on the number of people covered annually.

Premium Breakdown:

· Each premium is tied to an embassy employee or principal. There is not a separate premium for their dependents. Rather, there is one premium rate per family size.

· The bi-weekly premium total is calculated by multiplying the number of families per category (self, self +1, family 3-6, family 7+) by the rate (premium) per category. The total price for the Base Year is calculated by multiplying this bi-weekly premium total by 26 (the pay periods per year).

Service Providers:

· Service providers may offer additional coverage levels beyond those detailed in Section C.1. However, all bids will be evaluated based on the lowest price technically acceptable, provided the minimum benefit levels are offered.

Rider Coverage Clarification:

· The term "Rider" refers to agencies adopting the terms and conditions of the resultant contract but making payments directly to the service provider (see Section C.1.5.3).

Section I - Contract Clauses:

· The CS highlighted where to find the contract clauses, including the explanation of the option to extend terms and the maximum contract period.

· Clauses incorporated by reference were reviewed, with full text available upon request and clarified that full text could also be accessed at Acquisition.gov (this address is subject to change).

Section J - List of Exhibits:

· Updates to the List of Exhibits were discussed.

Section K - Representations and Certifications:

· Attendees were reminded to review Section K carefully, particularly K.9 (52.209-5 Certification).

Section L - Instructions to Offerors:

· Attendees were instructed not to use generic boilerplate tender submissions and to provide responses specifically aligned with the solicitation provisions.

· The CS provided detailed submittal requirements and instructions for compliance with Section L.

Section M - Evaluation Factors:

· The CS discussed the evaluation criteria, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the instructions outlined in Section M. The technical selection criteria will be based on these evaluation factors.

Submission Date Reminder:

· The CS reminded attendees of the RFQ submission date and emphasized the importance of full compliance with all submission requirements.

Questions & Clarifications Raised by Vendors:

1. Clarification on "Self Plus One" Category:

· Vendors requested a breakdown between employee + spouse and employee + child.

· Response: The Embassy will provide further clarification after internal consultation. Modifications may follow.

2. Claims Population per Period:

· Vendors asked for annual claims population data.

· Response: The Embassy will provide these figures separately.

3. Inclusion of Co-pay in Claims Data:

· Vendors inquired if employee co-pays were included in the claims data provided.

· Response: No, the claims data excludes co-pays.

4. Clarification on Page 8 - Premium Rate Table:

· Vendors sought clarification on the difference between the "Rate (Premium) per Category" and "Extended Bi-weekly Premium Total," as well as how to accurately complete Section 13.

· Response: The Embassy will issue follow-up guidance to clarify these sections.

· Clarification on Section B – Lives and Families:

· Vendors asked about the figures for the number of lives and families.

· Response: The Embassy will review and clarify the figures.

5. Discrepancy in Inclusion/Exclusion of Riders:

· Vendors noted discrepancies in the inclusion/exclusion of riders between Sections B and J.

· Response: The Embassy will confirm which sections include or exclude riders and provide updated figures.

6. USAID Claims Inclusion:

· Vendors asked whether USAID staff were included in the claims data.

· Response: The Embassy will verify and respond accordingly.

Closing Remarks:

· The CO thanked all participants for attending the meeting and reminded them to regularly check SAM.gov for updates, responses to questions, and any clarifications regarding the solicitation process.

· Pending questions will be addressed in official follow-up communication.

Adjournment:

· The meeting adjourned at 11:00 AM.