36A77618Q9083-0002001.docx

Perry Point VA Medical Center Perry Point, MD Initial Outfitting Activation and Transitioning IDIQ/Task Order #1 Questions/Answers to Solicitation RFQ 36A77618Q9083 The purpose of this amendment is to:

1. Replace original solicitation - Task Order 1 PWS Pre-Planning Services with a revised version –dated 30 Aug 2018. Task 7.7 Activation Support Services was added to provide for the Gap Analysis meeting and report.

2. Replace the Attachment A IDIQ which includes changes identified in the Q/A’s below

3. Answer the questions Submitted for Solicitation: 36A77618Q9083 – Initial Outfitting, Transition, and Activation IDIQ RFQ VA Maryland Health Care System, Perry Point Medical Center:

All other terms and conditions of the solicitation remain the same and in full force and effect.

1. Are you looking for our actual plan or a description of how we will develop and what goes into the plan? An example we have not met any of the local VA team so a communication plan is hard to provide until we know all the local stakeholders.

Answer: The actual plan will be required for evaluation, updates will be required upon award.

2. We see the list of 6 evaluation items can you describe the weight of each? How does # 1 weigh vs # 4? Etc.

Answer: Per FAR 13-106-1(a)(2), solicitations are not required to state the relative importance assigned to each evaluation factor and sub-factor, nor are they required to include sub-factors.

3. Is construction still to start 4th Quarter 2018?

Answer: Construction to start November of 2018.

4. Can the PM be allowed to get their PMP certification within 6 months of contact award?

Answer: Key Personnel requirements for Project Manager are amended as follows:

Project Manager

1. A minimum of five (5) years of experience in Project Management

1. A minimum of three (3) years of experience in healthcare initial outfitting, transition, and activation services

1. Certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Other certifications the offeror believes to be equivalent may be provided and the Contracting Officer will determine its equivalency.

1. Experience in activating Federal healthcare facilities

1. Well versed in healthcare infrastructure, operations, and/or practice and have direct experience in transition activities

5. When will the lease be signed because according to the PWS we must provide our basis of design to the VA within 30 days of this date. We assume this is so the AE can incorporate our basis of design into their DD1 submittal back to the VA is this a correct assumption?

Answer: This project will not be working with a leased property. Paragraph mentioning lease in PWS is removed.

6. If we cannot have a user group until 7 days after the VA reviews the AE design then we now have only 8 days to have user group meetings and update the DD1 to include the information from the user group meeting (drawings, cut sheets, etc) and get it back to the VA. If this information does not go directly to the AE then our updates will not be reflected on the next AE submittal and we will be working on different versions of the drawings. Is this the process that must be adhered to?

Context:

From PWS 7- User group meetings shall be scheduled approximately seven days after the Government provides the Contractor its comments to the initial design.

Answer: Design at 100%, the schedule being reference is removed.

7. Updating design during DD adds risk to the project because walls move, and this will cause the FF&E to move because the way Revit works – this will cause rework to the design process further adding time risk to the project. How can we estimate this time since we do not know how many changes the AE will make in the drawings prior to the updates?

Answer: See question 6.

8. In the TO1 PWS I do not see any drawings to be completed by the pre-planner can you confirm?

Answer: Yes

9. In reference to the Deliverable Table below: we read this that the AE from the landlord will submit to the VA within 45 days DD1. Prior to the submission of DD1, we need to submit the AE?

Context:

From TO1 PWS

Answer: Reference questions #5 and #6.

10. Based upon these stated deliverables (referencing above) we see no drawings, cut sheets, MEL for us to provide, is this accurate?

Answer: Correct for TO 1.

11. If we are to document all requested changes in a change management log where is this done? I do not see where we are working with any drawings?

Answer: The change management log will document any and all changes for the entire project. This is to include, but not be limited to, equipment types, cut sheet and model information, equipment lists, procedures, staffing models, ext. Drawings of the building will be provided.

12. If we are not using drawings to verify any changes to FF&E are we only to document what the client wants and update in Attainia? What happens if the requested changes do not fit who is handling this task?

Answer: Drawings of building will be provided. Unsure of what the second question is asking.

13. Is there no design submittal scope in this TO?

Answer: The design is at 100%.

14. If we are not allowed user group meetings until 7 days after design review by the VA how can we provide these deliverables within these timeframes? To provide CONOPS we need user group meetings.

Context:

From PWS

Answer: See question #6.

15. We are confused why CONOPS should be monthly updates once it is submitted? With that said how many CONOPS submittals do you expect? Example once we submit a current state of CONOPS it should not need to be updated. Also, what determines when CONOPS is accepted?

Answer: TO 1 changed to updates due quarterly. Any changes in the project need to be captured in the CONOPs, if applicable.

16. In the equipment list there are many items marked as VV – VC. Who is laying these into the drawings? Who is doing the salient characteristics? Cut sheets?

Answer: Some VV and VC items are included in the drawings other items to be laid in by IOT&A contractor at some point. All of these items will be part of future TOs.

17. The ROM is the total estimated cost by item to purchase, warehouse, deliver, install, test, and train (as applicable) for the project. The ROM to be provided broken down by fiscal year. If we are not part of the design process or acquisition planning process who is providing us the information to update Attainia and how will it be provided?

Answer: The IOT&A contractor will be part of the acquisition planning process. The VA can supply any available relevant information from the Design A/E. Also, user group meeting and the CONOPs will help determine needs.

18. Is our ROM to include all FF&E including CC items?

Answer: The ROM does not need to include CC items.

19. How do we know that the current information in Attainia including pricing is accurate?

Answer: Contractor to verify all pricing and estimates. Contractor to update any information in Attainia.

20. If the ROM is due 2 months after award it will need to be based on the current information in Attainia or will there be an Attainia update prior to contract award?

Answer: There will not be an Attainia update prior to award.

21. How many ROM updates do you want us to price?

Answer: TO 1 changed, updates required quarterly.

22. How often do you want Attainia updated throughout the project?

Answer: Updated Monthly.

23. Can you provide the base level of expectations for “facilitation”? Will the Contractor send out all invites, remind all personnel, coordinate all the various calendars? Will the Contractor lead and manage the meetings? Will the Contractor be responsible for gathering all the slides and compiling them and ensuring that they have been properly staffed? Or will these type efforts be led by the VA staff with admin and technical support from the Contractor?

Context:

“Meeting Facilitation Services: The Contractor shall schedule meetings with key stakeholders and appropriate personnel (to be identified by the Government). Where meeting frequency is not specified herein, the Contractor shall establish the meeting frequency in manner that ensures the ability to meet the requirements of the task order. Meetings include project status meetings, CONOPs meetings, planning meetings, information management meetings, user group meetings, and any additional meetings as deemed necessary by the Contractor to meet the requirements of the TO.”

Answer: The next few paragraphs following the context above highlight other responsibilities. Means and Methods are contractor’s responsibility.

24. Since there is no verbiage indicated in the below paragraph how meeting minutes will become final and approved, can the Contractor assume that if there is no government feedback within 5 business days, the minutes will automatically become final?

Context:

“The Contractor shall prepare meeting agendas which shall be distributed to attendees NLT 48 hours prior to the subject meeting. The Contractor shall prepare meeting minutes. Meeting minutes shall document the purpose of the meeting, discussions, and decisions reached. When applicable, meeting minutes shall include "ACTION ITEMS" to include a description of the item, the responsible individual(s), and due date. Meeting minutes will be distributed to attendees for review and approval”.

Answer: Allow the government 15 business days for response.

25. For Clarification, do you really mean the Poplar Bluff Medical Center Director as highlighted below?

Context:

Answer: TO#1 updated to read “Perry Point”

26. Are these the daft or final minutes? If final, there will be no time allotted to staff among the meeting participants for comments on the draft minutes.

Context:

Answer: Draft

27. Was this an unintentional omission, or is the HR Plan not actually a deliverable, or does it fall under another deliverable to be turned in concurrently (if so, which one)?

Context:

IDIQ PWS, Pg. 14.2.6 (Concept of Operations [CONOPS] and Transition Services)

In the IDIQ, there is an additional bullet point for a “Human Resources Plan (HR plan)” along with the other standard CONOPS bullet points from the other IDIQs. However, the Human Resources Plan is not included as a deliverable or assigned a deliverable number in the deliverables table.

Answer: TO-1 updated to not include HR Plan in this task, HR Plan to be included in different Task Order.

28. Was there meant to be a section 7.2? The sections go from 7.1 to 7.3. Was possible Design and Planning Services omitted?

Context: TO-1 PWS, Pg. 3, 7.0 Specific Tasks and Deliverables

Answer: Numbers in the Task Order #1 PWS has been fixed. In addition, Task 7.5 Activation Services (Gap Analysis task) was added

29. Would the Contracting Officer Consider changing the PMP requirement of the Project Manager to preferred by not required?

Context: IDIQ PWS, Pg. 8, 12.1 Key Personnel, Project Manager

Answer: See answer to Question #4

30. Please add language to exempt the AIMS from the 30-page count limit.

Context: IDIQ Solicitation Pg. 27 (B) (4)

The instructions say: “(4) Each section of the quote has a specific page limit as identified below in Section F, Information to be Submitted. Section F, paragraphs (1)-(5) shall not exceed 30 single sided pages total, and each section shall not exceed the listed page limit. Any pages in excess of the allotted amount will be removed and not included as part of the evaluation. Font type shall be no smaller than size 12 font on standard 8.5” x 11” pages. The page limit does not apply to Section F, Paragraph (6), Price Submission, or Paragraph (7), Other Requested Submittals.”

Answer: This exemption language is already included in the header to Section F, Paragraph 3 - "IDIQ Management Plan (maximum 8 pages, excluding AIMS):"

31. In order to best present information to the government, would the government consider allowing smaller font sizes in graphics and tables?

Context: IDIQ Solicitation Pg. 27 (B) (4)

Answer: Yes, for presentation purpose but not smaller than 10. However, graphs and tables must be able to print legible on 8.5 X 14 and/or 11 x 17. Graph should be readable version for printing purposes.

32. The items appear to relate to pricing information and appear to belong under (6) Price Submission.

Context: IDIQ Solicitation, Pg. 29 (4) B-C

“b. A Basis of Estimate worksheet shall be created and submitted to show the details of the proposed labor mix for each CLIN in Task Order 1. This worksheet is separate from attachment N “Activation Total Evaluated Price (TEP) Calculation Workbook”; however, the proposed labor categories and labor hours must match the “Activation TEP Calculation Workbook” for Task Order 1.

c. A narrative describing how fixed price travel was determined, to include the number of trips, number of days, number of travelers, and description of any additional costs that were identified in the “Activation TEP Calculation Workbook”, “4-TO 1 Travel” tab under Column M “Additional Costs.” This narrative shall not contain any cost information.”

Answer: The BoEs and Travel narrative will be evaluated as part of the Task Order 1 Technical Submission. The technical merits of those documents (hours required for tasks, decisions on labor mix per task, purpose of trips, attendees, etc.) will help the Government understand the offerors technical approach to Task order 1. The pricing submission is only the Activation TEP Calculation Workbook and will have some of the same information as the BoEs but will be evaluated differently. The price submission evaluation will focus on the reasonableness of the rates, total task, and TEP.

33. Is the IOT&A contractor expected to provide equipment recommendations prior to meeting with the staff?

Context: TO1 PWS

Based on the writing of TO1 initial equipment recommendations are required prior to user meeting and then refined during the design charrette?

Answer: See questions #5 and #6.

34. Is the Project Manager requested/required to be on-site full time for the duration of the TO?

Context: TO1 PWS

Answer: Yes

35. Are medical equipment items expected as part of the FF&E design submittal process?

Context: TO1 PWS

Answer: FF&E will include medical equipment.

36. The identified Schedule would require staff to be prepared to meet for the FF&E design review/re-use inventories within 15/30 days or award respectively. Are these dates flexible or are they fined in-order-to support other contract/construction deadlines?

Context: TO1 PWS

Answer: VA will be ready. Please provide schedule of required meetings at Kick-Off meeting to ensure meetings get on VA staff’s calendars.

37. In-order-to allow offeror’s time to update their proposal based on the Q&A responses, and due to the Federal Labor Day Holiday, will the Government consider a week extension to the current proposal due date?

Answer: Solicitation has been extended.

38. For pricing purposes, what is the assumed award date for the IDIQ and Task Order 1 contracts?

Answer: NLT 30 Sept 2018 for both the IDIQ and the first Task Order

39. On what date does the period of performance start for Task Order 1?

Answer: NLT 9/30/2018

40. The RFP does not provide labor category descriptions or qualifications for any positions other than the four key personnel positions. For pricing purposes, will the Government provide this information for all labor categories?

Answer: No, the Government's minimum requirement is to have the key personnel meet the stated specific experience and certification requirements; the contractor is able to infer the necessary level of experience and qualifications to meet other PWS task requirements and propose accordingly.

41. This section states, “A Basis of Estimate worksheet shall be created and submitted to show the details of the proposed labor mix for each CLIN in Task Order 1. This worksheet is separate from attachment N “Activation Total Evaluated Price (TEP) Calculation Workbook”; however, the proposed labor categories and labor hours must match the “Activation TEP Calculation Workbook” for Task Order 1.” Can the Government clarify what the CLINS are? Is the CLIN structure in line with the PWS Tasks, i.e. CLIN 0001 Comprehensive Project Management Support Services, CLIN 0002 Comprehensive Interior Design and Space Planning Services, CLIN 0003 Comprehensive Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment Planning Support, etc.?

Context: TO1 Technical Submission requirements, Basis of Estimate

Answer: The CLINs for Task Order #1 are the Tasks identified in the Task Order

42. Will the VA provide any workspace for contractors?

Answer: Yes

43. Will this VA provide IM/IT assets to contractor staff?

Answer: TBD. Depends on needs for access.

44. How many Attainia licenses will be available for the contractor’s use?

Answer: This effort will be awarded one Attainia license for multiple users

45. Submittal 22, Master Key Plan indicates the IOT&A contractor will provide key cores for the facility. Is this accurate? Key cores are typically provided to the locksmith by the General Contractor.

Answer: I do not see reference to IOTA contractor providing the physical cores, only a plan and list of where used.

46. Submittal 22, Master Key Plan, seems to read the IOT&A contractor will provide the Physical Access Control System (PACS). Is this accurate?

Answer: I do not see reference to IOTA contractor providing the physical PACS, only a plan and list of where used.

47. How much estimated reuse do the current clinics have?

Answer: It will be the IOT&A Contractor’s responsibility to identify what items can be reused.

48. Is AEMS/MERS still accurate? Will the organization transition to Maximo prior to the move?

Answer: AEMS/MERS is still accurate, there are not currently plans to transition to Maximo.

49. Please clarify what seems to be contradictory statements, the paragraph directs that only Government personnel can receive equipment at the warehouse; however, later under submittal 54 Receiving Logs, indicates the contractor will receive and manage all equipment inventory of FFE in the warehouse and report daily to the Government via the receiving logs.

Context: 14.2.8 Warehousing and Warehousing Management Services

Answer: If the Government issues a separate task order for Warehousing and Warehousing services, the Contractor will be expected to receive the items (FFE) into the warehouse and logged. The Government will sign off on official “Acceptance” for payment.

50. Will the IO contractor be procuring the IM/IT systems or will those purchases be conducted through VAOI&T?

Context: 14.2.3 IT/IM Planning Support

Answer: IOT&A contractor will be accounting for the needs of the system and creating procurement packages.

51. Will the IOT&A contractor be tasked with infrastructure installations i.e. Wireless Access Points (WAPs), and cabling requirements to Telecom Rooms (TRs)?

Context: 14.2.14. Information Technology

Answer: Yes, cabling will be required. Some devices will be required, accounting for needs of each device type will be required.

52. Bullet 10 is unclear if this is written as a requirement for the IOT&A contractor or information concerning what the General Contractor will perform. Many of the requirements are typical to infrastructure construction.

Context: 14.2.14. Information Technology

Answer: For the entire Information Technology section, installation is included. (first sentence of section)

53. The description of the Biomedical Support Plan refers to paragraph 13.2.18. The paragraph is not in the submission. Could you elaborate on where the elements can be found?

Context: Submittal 068

Answer: The Biomedical Support Plan is Deliverable 071, and the reference within the deliverable language should have read "14.2.16." It references the Bio Medical section the deliverable is under. The reference in the IDIQ has been corrected.

54. Is it the intent of the VA to place network equipment in the warehouse TR to accommodate receiving and IT equipment programming? If so, can you provide the specifications that the warehouse provider should meet?

Context: Warehouse Requirements

Answer: Warehousing will be ordered on a future task order, and the specifics are not available at this time. The Warehousing PWS will contain this level of detail.

55. How many Government employees will need workstation accommodations in the provided warehouse?

Answer: Warehousing will be ordered on a future task order, and the specifics are not available at this time. The Warehousing PWS will contain this level of detail.

56. Are insurance requirements for the warehouse above and beyond the insurance required for the IDIQ?

Answer: Warehousing will be ordered on a future task order, and the specifics are not available at this time. The Warehousing PWS will contain this level of detail. On past projects which included warehousing, additional insurance was needed to cover FF&E being stored in the unit.

57. During group meetings are Teleconference connections allowed for dislocated members?

Answer: No

58. When is the projected Award Date?

Answer: NLT 9/28/2018

59. Does the site have a dedication activation team assigned for the activities?

Answer: No

60. Has the site assigned a dedicated activation program/project manager and construction program manager to lead the effort?

Answer: Not at this time, there will be a Point of Contact for the site. Construction is not being run by local site personal.

61. Will the contractor's Share site need to interface with the VA SharePoint for the facility? If so, since interconnectivity cannot occur, does this site have to be physically at government site, or, physical access to the Sharepoint to the Sharepoint site?

Context: TO1 PWS Pg. 3 Section 7.1

Answer: Contractor will have to use VA provided computers and connect while at VA site to use the sharepoint.

62. Are the section write ups to be submitted as a single volume and a separate price volume? Are we submitting all information in section F as a single volume plus the Activation TEP Calculation Workbook?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 27 Section E.1 (B)

Answer: All Section F write-ups should be submitted in one volume and the Activation TEP Calculation Workbook will be submitted in the Excel spreadsheet.

63. Is there a preferred format (MS Word®, PDF) for submission of the technical volume?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 27 Section E.1 (B)

Answer: PDF is preferred

64. Please validate that the places for performance are three (3) locations in Baltimore and 1 at Perry Point.

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 3 Section 5.0

Answer: Yes

65. Will the government provide job descriptions for key personnel? Other listed personnel?

Answer: No, the Government's minimum requirement is to have the key personnel meet the stated specific experience and certification requirements; the contractor is able to infer the necessary level of experience and qualifications to meet other PWS task requirements and propose accordingly.

66. Are there any page margin requirements for this submission?

Answer: No.

67. Are cover letters and title pages included in the page max count?

Answer: No, they are not if they do not contain narrative information.

68. Will contractor be responsible for patient movements during this effort?

Context: TO1 Pg. 7

Answer: Yes

69. Will physical inventory require any patient interface?

Context: TO1 Pg. 7

Answer: Yes

70. In what stage is the design/construction process currently? Have all floor plans/ceiling plans/interior elevations been developed?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 8 Section 7.2

Answer: Design is at 100%.

71. Have the Basis of Design furniture and equipment plans been developed and approved by the VA to a Design Development level?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 8 Section 7.2

Answer: A list exists from the Design A/E but all equipment needs to be verified. All FF&E must meet, at a minimum, all VA directives such as the small house model, patient needs, and staff needs, for the space to be used effectively and efficiently.

72. Is the site and user groups prepared to provide input and feedback to maintain the timelines presented?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 8 Section 7.2

Answer: Yes

73. Please verify the number of user groups requiring full charrettes.

Context: TO1 PWS Section 7.2

Answer: Information TBD

74. Has an artwork budget been established?

Context: TO1 PWS Pg. 7 Section 7.2

Answer: No

75. Will the artwork program be developed as a Basis of Design with Artwork types defined, or are the individual artwork pieces to be selected? If so, how can artwork program be bid out, rather than sole source?

Context: TO1 PWS Section 7.2

Answer: Basis of Design

76. How many 3-D renditions should be planned for?

Context: TO1 PWS Section 7.2

Answer: The entire building will require rendering

77. Has the base building A/E design team developed any Wayfinding or Signage programs to date?

Context: TO1 PWS Deliverable TO1-025

Answer: No

78. What is the extent of the general contractor's signage scope? Who is responsible to develop the Message Schedule?

Context: TO1 PWS Deliverable TO1-025

Answer: IOT&A Contractor is responsible for the message schedule.

79. “Approval for Rental Cars is discouraged?”

Context: IDIQ and TO1 PWS Pg. 6

Answer: For any travel awarded on a cost-reimbursable basis, pre-approval for all travel costs must be submitted to the COR before travel is approved. The COR will review to make sure that the Government is approving the appropriate number of car rentals for contractor personnel expected to travel and be on site. In the instant of the first task order, travel is being quoted as firm fixed price, no prior authorization to travel is needed.

80. Enterprise – Project Manager “on-site”- clarification desired, i.e. on-site full-time; on demand, in the locality?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 9

Answer: on-site full-time

81. Will contractor team members be allowed or offered on-site space at government site?

Answer: Yes

82. Travel can be awarded under a Firm Fixed Price Basis. Is the travel Firm Fixed Price total priced on the travel sheet for each task order? Will travel has its’ own CLIN or included in other CLINS? For FFP travel, how is the monthly invoice amount determined? Will a travel authorization form be required for each travel trip?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 9

Answer: The travel authorization form is only used when a task order includes cost reimbursable travel. For Firm Fixed Price travel, travel will be a separate CLIN and invoiced monthly (or according to the contractor’s proposed schedule of values). We are only asking for firm fixed price travel for Task Order 1 in the pricing spreadsheet.

83. (A) Are the statements above to be understood that replacement key personnel must minimally match or exceed the qualifications of the initially submitted personnel being replaced?

(B) If so, what is the extent of the “meet or exceed” for experience and qualifications, e.g. must there be a numeric match or exceed for years of experience and an equal meet or exceed for qualifications?

(C) Do the statements above mean that the minimum requirements presented in the IDIQ PWS are superseded by the experience and qualifications of the candidate key personnel submitted with the responding vendor’s proposal?

Context: IDIQ PWS Pg. 8 Section 12.1 “In the event changes to key personnel are required during the period of performance of this contract, replacement key personnel must meet or exceed the experience and qualifications of the individual contractor included in its proposal submittal”

“The contractor shall submit to the CO the resume of the replacing individual that demonstrates skills and background at least equivalent to those of the individual the contractor included in its proposal”.

Answer: The IDIQ section 12.1 Key Personnel has been changed to read “The personnel identified herein are considered essential to the work being performed. In the event changes to key personnel are required during the performance of this contract, replacement key personnel must meet or exceed the minimum experience and qualifications listed in this paragraph. For the Program Manager position only, in the event changes are required during the performance of this contract, replacement of that Program Manager must meet or exceed the minimum experience and qualifications of the individual the Contractor included in its proposal submittal and not just the minimum experience and qualifications listed in this paragraph. Prior to substituting, removing, replacing, or diverting any key personnel, the Contractor shall notify the COR and CO 10 working days in advance. The Contractor shall submit to the COR and CO the resume of the replacing individual that demonstrates skills and background at least equivalent to those of the individual the Contractor included in its proposal. The COR will evaluate the replacing person's resume to determine the experience and qualifications of the replacement are equal or exceed those of the person's resume submitted with the Contractor's proposal for that position image1.emf