24CS0061_Addendum_1_-_Responses_to_Questions.pdf

STATE OF CALIFORNIA GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Office of Procurement and Contracts 1227 “O” Street, Room 101 Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: (916) 653-2621

Addendum 1 – Responses to Questions

Invitation for Bid #24CS0061 Rehabilitation Services

Notice to Prospective Bidders

December 6, 2024

The purpose of this addendum is to provide responses to questions from Prospective Contractors (Please see Pages 2 - 5)

CalVet reserves the right to cancel or modify this IFB up to the date and time the bid is due. CalVet is not responsible for any preparation costs incurred by parties submitting a proposal.

In the opinion of CalVet, this solicitation is complete and without need of explanation. However, for responses to written questions or for clarifying information, the contact person for this IFB is:

California Department of Veterans Affairs

Office of Procurement and Contracts

1227 O Street, Room 101

Attention: Keith Wynkoop

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 653-2621

Email: keith.wynkoop@calvet.ca.gov

Please note no verbal information given will be binding upon the State. The State will issue information in writing as an official Addendum, and/or as an Agency written response to proposer questions submitted by the established deadline.

Addendum 1 to IFB # 24CS0061 Rehabilitation Services – Responses to Questions

Question #1:

What hours and days are the rehabilitation services to be provided? What will be the schedule?

Answer #1:

The Therapy Department operating hours are Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00am to 5:00pm.

No weekends. Some holidays are required if there is a Medicare A patient caseload.

Question #2:

Is this a new requirement? If not, who were the previous awardees and what were the rates?

Answer #2:

No there has always been a requirement for rehabilitation services at the Home. Rates from the previous awardees can obtained after a Freedom of Information Act Request is submitted and after the bidding process has ended. The request can be either mailed or faxed to the CalVet Legal Office, the request must indicate the information must be provided as required by the Freedom of Information Act, and it should indicate the specific type of information needed (Name of Current Contractor, rates, etc.). In addition, a billing address should also be indicated because a per-page charge (approximately $0.15 -

$0.20 cents per-page) will be applied. The mailing address for the FOIA request is:

CalVet – Legal Office

Attn: Freedom of Information Act Representative (Room 306)

1227 O Street

Sacramento, CA 95814-5840

The request can also be faxed to the CalVet Legal Office at (916) 653-2454.

Still, it is believed bids can be calculated based on fair-price.

Question #3:

Number of beds by type (Skilled, AL, IL, MC...) and typical census by type

Answer #3:

Veterans Home of CA -Chula Vista is certified for 180 beds in the SNF and 220 beds in RCFE/DOM.

Currently our census in the SNF is at 109 and RCFE/DOM at 92.

Question #4:

Average Medicare Part A patients per day or however you track it.

Answer #4:

Veterans Home Chula Vista is a long-term residence of our Veterans. We do not always have Medicare

A patients on caseload but we do provide therapy services to all our residents when they need it regardless of payer source.

Question #5:

Agreement says, the start day once awarded. Can you clarify please? Does that mean that if the contract is awarded on December 17 services with a new provider will start the next day or will the start date be agreed upon?

Answer #5:

Award will be made once the Agreement is emailed to lowest responsive, responsible Bidder and the Term

Start Date will be the date the Agreement is executed by an approving attorney at the California

Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services and services can begin once the executed agreement is emailed to you and the Contract Manager who will call you for services.

Question #6:

Therapists shall provide training and guidance to restorative nursing aides (RBN), attend Staff meetings and conferences, shall attend IDT meetings and Care Plan Development meetings and so on. Does the hourly rate for the therapists apply to these and similar events? (assume the hourly rate applies to all time in facility)

Answer #6:

Therapists time in facility whether productive or non-productive are paid the same hourly rate as long as the activity is approved by the Contract Manager.

Question #7:

Will this staffing supplement staffing that is already in place at the VA Home? Or will this staffing replace current therapy staffing?

Answer #7:

Staffing will supplement staffing that is already in place at the Home.

Question #8:

Is the temporary/relief description mean that these positions will be called in as needed, rather than as full-time employees?

Answer #8:

The description means the positions will be called in as needed.

Question #9:

How many vendors will be awarded the contract?

Answer #9:

One (1) vendor will be awarded the contract.

Question #10:

Who is the current Therapy Provider? Could you please share who are the current vendors providing these services at CalVet? What are the current rates for each discipline for the currently providing staffing companies?

Answer #10:

There is currently no contracted therapy provider at the Home.

Question #11:

If a company uses a small business and is in a TACPA zone, will the company get one incentive for both or two separate incentives?

Answer #11:

Neither. The prime contractor, not the subcontractor, must possess Small Business status in order to have the Small Business Preference apply and the TACPA contract preference does not apply to the solicitation.

Question #12:

How many staff are needed for each discipline and each location?

Answer #12:

Please see bid rate sheet for estimated number of hours needed. The number of therapy staff is based on need. There is only one location. Home base is in SNF. We have occasional outpatient therapy services from DOM /RCFE.

Question #13:

How long will this contract be?

Answer #13:

The executed Agreement will bear a December 1, 2024 or upon approval, whichever is later Start Date and a June 30, 2027 Through End Date.

Question #14:

Will there be overtime pay if the employee works more than 8 hrs. in a day?

Answer #14:

Yes, only with prior approval from supervisor/contract manager, and the hours are all provided in the

VA Home. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all Federal, State, and local regulations regarding wage and hour laws and provision of overtime for shifts in excess of 8 hours.

Question #15:

Will the California Industrial Welfare Commission's (IWC) Wage Order No. 4 and 5 2001 be followed in this agreement? If Wage Order No. 4 If not followed, please clarify the reasoning.

Answer #15:

Yes, the California IWC Wage Order No. 4 and 5 2001 will be followed.