Answers Amendment 1 SVH.pdf

Question #Section Page Question Response

Section 10 of the Standard Form 1449 1

We are aware of very few contractors (less than 5) that are qualified to complete the full scope of work in the RFP. Using the Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) designation for this opportunity likely eliminates all the qualified bidders except for one. Would the government consider changing the set aside to Small Business instead of WOSB to increase competition?

No, Not at this time.

Section 10 of the Standard Form

If the acquisition is unrestricted, please confirm there is no limitation on subcontracting percentage. If any limitation applies, please identify the FAR or VAAR clause and the applicable percentage.

Acquisition is Woman Owned Small Business set aside as marked in Block 10 on SF1449 pg1

SF 1449 Block 10 / Volume V

1 & 122

The SF 1449 cover page indicates the acquisition is unrestricted (not set aside).

Will the Government confirm: (a) that the acquisition is in fact unrestricted competition and not set aside for any small business or socioeconomic category;

and (b) the relative weighting or scoring methodology used to translate SDVOSB and VOSB Veterans Preference (Volume V) into the Best Value Tradeoff at award?

a) No, it is not unrestricted. Solicitation is a Set-Aside for Woman Owned Small Business and boxes are checked;

b) Scoring method and rating provided in RFP.

Section B.1 Contract Administration Data Item 8 & SF

Will the Government clarify the maximum ceiling amount, or in the alternative, indicate the planned maximum ceiling and the methodology used to establish the $24.5M figure shown on the SF 1449 cover sheet, so that offerors can size capacity and surge plans appropriately?

The ceiling will be determined at time of award as stated in the solicitation since it is calculated based on the awardee amount pg 5.

The $24.5M is the size standard associated with the NAICS, it does not reperesent any other associated amount in the solictation pg 1.

Section B.2 (Acknowledgeme nt of Amendments) 6

Section B.2 instructs Proposers that 'All amendments must be entered into the chart on page 8.' Page 8 of the solicitation does not contain an acknowledgement-of-amendments chart.Request the Government either (a) identify the correct page reference, (b) provide the chart via Solicitation Amendment, or (c) confirm Proposers may use a self-prepared acknowledgement table that captures Amendment Number and Date.

B.2 Acknowledgement of Amendments is on pg 6

B.4 Performance Work Statement A. General Information 7

Proposed Modification To promote competition and ensure the VA continues to receive the highest-caliber expertise, we propose the following change to the technical requirements:

"Surveyors must be SMQT-certified OR possess equivalent experience (e.g., 10+ years of healthcare facility survey experience, MHA/clinical degree, and mastery of 38 CFR Part 51).

SMQT certification is not a requirement for this acquisition. 38 CFR Part 51 is the standard.

B.4 PWS A.2;

Section E.5, ¶4 Factor 8.a(3)

7 & 118

PWS A.2 lists 'Fire Protection Engineer, Fire Marshal, General Contractor, Industrial Hygienist' as example educational/training backgrounds for the life safety surveyor. The solicitation does not state whether these examples are illustrative or exhaustive, whether equivalent experience may be substituted, or whether specific industry certifications (NFPA CHFM/CHSP, CMS Life Safety training, state-licensed Fire Marshal, etc.) are required or preferred.Request the Government confirm (a) whether the listed examples are illustrative only or constitute an exhaustive list, (b) whether equivalent experience and qualifications may be substituted in lieu of specific NFPA or CMS Life Safety certifications, and

(c) any preferred or required certifications, credentials, or licensure standards the Government expects Offerors to provide for life safety surveyors.

(a) These are illustrative examples of educational training/background and experience to conduct the life safety portion of the survey.

(b) Equivalent experience may be substituted.

(c) No preferred or required, must align with CMS standards.

B.4 PWS B.1.5

(referencing GAO Report #19-428 and Public Law 117-328)

PWS B.1.5 references GAO Report #19-428 (Final Report July 2019, Recommendation #1) and Public Law 117-328 in the context of survey observations. The solicitation does not identify other lessons learned, persistent operational challenges, or Program Office priorities from prior performance periods that the Government would direct the successor contractor to address in its Technical Approach.Request the Government identify, beyond the GAO #19- 428 recommendations already reflected in the PWS, any additional lessons learned, persistent operational challenges, or Program Office priorities arising from prior performance periods that the Government expects Offerors to address in their Technical Approach.

The purpose of the observation is not to frame the already established process of conducting the survey. Prior observations of performance are not germane to the awardee. Areas of observations conducted by the Government are outlined in attachment C.

B.4 PWS B.7

Hours of Operation

PWS B.7 prohibits surveys during the National Association for State Veterans Homes Winter or Summer Conference weeks. Will the Government provide the specific 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030 NASVH Winter and Summer Conference dates that should be excluded from the contractor’s annual survey schedule planning, or confirm that current dates are publicly available on the NASVH website and offerors should plan accordingly?

Dates will be provided when known during performance of the contract and on TO’s issued during those quarters. It is publicly available at https://nasvh.org/. There are two NASH Conferences per calendar year.

B.4 PWS B.10

Acronyms (FedRAMP, FISMA, PIA, ATO, ISO, POA&M) 13

PWS B.10 lists acronyms associated with VA information security frameworks (FedRAMP, FISMA, PIA, ATO, POA&M, etc.) but the PWS Section C tasks do not tie these frameworks to specific deliverables, systems, or contractor information-system boundaries. The contractor will collect, process, and transmit resident PII during survey activities.Request the Government clarify (a) whether contractor information systems that store or process VA-related PII require an Authority to Operate (ATO) under VA Handbook 6500, (b) whether VA Form 6500.6 (Contract Security Requirements) or a Privacy Impact Assessment is required at award, and

(c) whether the BAA alone is sufficient to govern HIPAA / PII handling under this contract.

BAA and VA Box covers the security requirements.

B.4 PWS C.2.1

Task 1 Kick-Off Meeting

Will the Government provide its anticipated time interval between contract award (notice to proceed) and issuance of the first Task Order, so offerors can size their pre-TO mobilization plans (surveyor onboarding, training completion, license verification, secure-platform provisioning) accordingly? If the interval is contractor-dependent, please confirm that the contractor may use the period between award and first TO for at-risk mobilization activities prior to any priced performance commencing.

The first TO will be issued at time of award; the kickoff meeting will be 10 days from the start of the first TO and will not include any surveys. The second TO will have surveys presented after the kick-off meeting once the Government is accepting of the survey schedule.

B.4 PWS Section C.2.1 Kick-Off Meeting

If the awardee is a new contractor (not the incumbent), will the Government facilitate transition-in coordination with the outgoing incumbent, and will any incumbent-held survey data, in-process Corrective Action Plans, or pending IJ removal plans be transferred to the new contractor at award? Will any transition period be funded separately, or is the kick-off meeting and first-Task-Order ramp the only transition mechanism contemplated?

No transition is required; No information of any previous surveys will be provided or needed. Any corrective Action Plans are not applicable to future surveys, same as IJs. No transition period will be funded seperately as there will be no transition. The kickoff meeting will be the start of performance.

B.4 PWS C.2.1

Kick-Off Meeting

PWS C.2.1 requires a Kick-Off Meeting within 10 business days of the first Task Order start date, with the Annual Survey Schedule, QAP, and QASP due at or shortly after kickoff. The solicitation does not establish a formal phase-in / transition period, address incumbent contractor transition-support obligations under FAR 52.237-3 Continuity of Services, or identify a separately-priced phase-in CLIN.Request the Government clarify (a) whether a formal phase-in or transition period will precede full operational performance and, if so, its expected duration and scope; (b) whether the outgoing incumbent has contractual transition-support obligations including knowledge transfer, schedule continuity, and access to historical survey records; (c) whether FAR 52.237-3 Continuity of Services will be incorporated into the resulting contract; and (d) whether phase-in costs may be priced under a separate CLIN or are to be absorbed into existing CLINs.

a) There is no phase in. Clause 52.237-3 is not incoporated into the solocitation or future contract.

b) No, the outgoing vendor has no obligation to provide any continuity or transfer to the incoming vendor.

c) No, Clause 52.237-3 is not incoporated into the solocitation or future contract. d) No, there is no phase in requirement and therefore no seperate CLIN or any additional cost requirements

B.4 Performance Work Statement / C.2.1 Task 1 Kick- Off Meeting & C.6.3 Task 20 Contractor Personnel Training Plan 17 & 31

The solicitation does not establish a separately defined phase-in or transition-in period prior to the first Task Order’s performance period start date, and PWS Section C.6.4 requires evidence that all contractor surveyors have completed the six required training elements prior to their first SVH survey, with that evidence due at the Kick-Off Meeting (within 10 business days of the first TO start). Will the Government clarify: (a) whether any phase-in period (funded or unfunded) is contemplated between contract award and first TO performance period start; (b) whether the awardee will have access to the SVH Master Facility Listing, current Recognition Month data, prior survey reports, and any in-process Corrective Action Plans prior to the first TO start, to enable surveyor training, schedule development, and mobilization; and (c) whether any incumbent-to-successor knowledge transfer or shadow-survey arrangement is contemplated, particularly for a non-incumbent awardee?

(a) There is no phase-in period. The first TO will not have any surveys to be conducted on it.

(b) Attachment A_SVH Master Survey Schedule Listing; no other info requested will be provided

(c) no, awardee does not require any information from the incumbent to perform work under the resulting contract.

B.4 PWS C.4

Avtivity 3:

Surveys 18

Please provide the most recently available Average Daily Census (ADC) for each of the State Veterans Homes, domiciliaries, and Adult Day Health Care programs (ADHCs).

Attachment A has the facility information for number of beds for each level of care. The Program Office will provide the contractor the recognized number of beds and the average daily census for each of the program/level(s) of care needing survey by means of TO(s).

B.4 Performance Work Statement;

C.4 Activity 3 Surveys 20

Are the Life Safety portions of the surveys required to occur concurrently with the remainder of the survey team activities, or may the Life Safety surveyor conduct the assessment on separate dates from the clinical survey team? If separate scheduling is permitted, is there a required timeframe (e.g., number of days or weeks) within which the Life Safety survey must occur relative to the clinical survey component?

Yes, the Life Safety portion of the CLC Unannounced Survey is required to occur concurrently with the Clinical/Administrative/Fiscal portions of SVH Surveys.

B.4 PWS C.4.1

Surveys Onsite / Unannounced, C.4.2 Task 7 Survey Script, C.5 Activity 4 Reports

PWS C.4.1 establishes that surveys are conducted 'Onsite / Unannounced.' The solicitation does not state whether ancillary survey activities — including pre-survey record review, post-survey documentation analysis, deficiency drafting, scope-and-severity determination, or report finalization — may be performed remotely or through secure electronic review processes outside the onsite period.

Request the Government identify which survey activities require physical onsite presence and which may be performed remotely (with appropriate information-security and PII-protection controls), and confirm any quality, evidentiary, or chain-of-custody requirements applicable to remote review activities.

Offsite activities may include - pre-survey record review, post-survey documentation analysis, deficiency drafting, and report finalization. Onsite activies must include all survey reviews necessary to validate compliance of all applicable regulations in 38 CFR Part 51 to include clinical, administrative, fiscal, and life safety.

B.4 PWS C.4.3

Task 8 Annual Surveys / Attachment A 22

Is the column labeled “Survey Month” in Attachment A the recognition month referenced in Section C.4.3?

Yes, the recognition survey is the start date for when the annual must be completed. During the period of performance, the month a recognition survey is complete, that will be that locations month for annual surveys to completed in the following years.

B.4 PWS C.4.6

For Cause Surveys; C.4.7 Immediate Jeopardy

PWS C.4.6 requires For Cause surveys to be initiated onsite within 10 business days of Task Order issuance, and C.4.7 establishes Immediate Jeopardy notification and removal-plan timeframes. The solicitation does not state whether the contractor must maintain after-hours, weekend, holiday, or on-call emergency response capability for IJ events, complaint investigations, or other urgent survey-related activity.Request the Government clarify whether the contractor must maintain after-hours / weekend / holiday on-call coverage and, if so, the applicable response-time standard, minimum on-call staffing expectation, and whether such standby capacity is to be priced into existing CLINs or as a separate line item.

B.6, B.7, and B.8 (pg 11-12) identify the hours of operation and business days, respectively in the RFP. The vendor is only required to work days not identified as holidays. Vendor is to perform services, during core hours identified, however, they are not limited to begin or stop during the business hours. PWS does state what are considered business hours and states not to work holidays or weekends. There is no need to be on call.

B.4 PWS C.5.5

Task 17 Electronic Feedback Mechanism and Reports / Deliverable 18

Will the Government clarify whether the Electronic Feedback Mechanism (Deliverable 18) must reside on a Government platform (e.g., VA Box, VA-hosted environment) or whether contractor-hosted FedRAMP-authorized platforms are acceptable, and whether any specific authentication standard (ID.me LOA-3, PIV, CAC) is required for SVH and Program Office user access?

No, the government is not going to access or control the feedback mechanism. Only want the resulting reports required.

B.4 PWS C.5.5

Task 17 Electronic Feedback Mechanism and Reports / Deliverable 18 (Electronic Feedback Mechanism)

PWS Deliverable 18 requires the contractor to establish an electronic feedback mechanism. The solicitation does not state whether this mechanism must reside within a FedRAMP-authorized environment or whether commercial survey platforms (e.g., SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics) are acceptable.Request the Government confirm the hosting/authorization requirement applicable to the Electronic Feedback Mechanism, including whether a FedRAMP Moderate authorization, ATO, or other VA-specific security control is required, and whether respondent data is considered VA sensitive information.

There is no requirement for the feedback mechanism to reside within a FedRAMP-authorized environment. Respondent data is not considered VA sensitive information.

B.4 PWS

GFE/GFS

acronyms / VA Box reference 32

Will the Government provide a complete list of all Government-Furnished Equipment, Government-Furnished Information, and Government-Furnished Services that will be made available to the contractor, including but not limited to VA Box accounts, Master Facility Listing access, RAI/MDS data access, prior-year survey data access, and any other systems or data sources required for survey preparation and reporting?

No GFE or GFS provided, master list is already provided in attachment A, no access to prior-year surveys or any other VA controlled access point sites – prior year Reference PWS section C.4.1. The Government will provide pertinent pre-survey information and monthy updated Master Facility Listings. Prior year VA surveys and Corrective Action Plans are available at https://www.accesstocare.va.gov/CNH/StateMap/

B.4 PWS B.1.5

Survey Observations / Performance Metrics Table 47

PWS B.1.5 states that COR/alternate COR observation scores will be used in evaluation of contractor performance with scoring on a 1-to-4 scale. Will the Government confirm: (a) the minimum number of survey observations the COR plans to conduct per performance period per surveyor; (b) the threshold score below which a Corrective Action Request would be issued; and (c) whether observation scores roll up into specific CPARS rating categories?

(a) “The COR shall conduct survey observations at least twice during the performance period.”

(b) A CAR being issued is not related to the observation rating per say.

A CAR can be issued for areas of concern beyond a survey.

Observations is a part of the surveillance method.

(c) It may reflect in Management, Scheduling, Quality; Regulatory Compliance B.1.5. (pg 11) corrected to indicate "(See Performance Metrics Table, page 41 for rating info)" "page 41" will be corrected to "page 47; Activity 3"

PWS Section A / B / Acronym list / Attachment AA

BAA

Will the Government identify: (a) the FISMA categorization (Low, Moderate, High) applicable to contractor systems handling SVH survey data and PHI under this contract; (b) whether the contractor must obtain a separate VA Authority to Operate (ATO) or may operate under an existing FedRAMP authorization with a VA Agency ATO leveraging package; and (c) the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) and System of Records Notice (SORN) requirements applicable to contractor data handling?

G. VA Information and Information System Security/Privacy Language

a) LOW

b) Determined to not be applicable; using VA Box

c) Conferred with ISO, and this needs to be determined by vendor, SORN has not previously been applicable

C.4 FAR 52.216-

Section C.4 includes FAR 52.216-19 Order Limitations stating the contractor is not obligated to honor any single-item order in excess of 50 EA or any combined order in excess of 200 EA, and Section B.4 Item 6 establishes a $40K minimum guarantee. Given Attachment BB’s estimated quantity of 173 Annual Surveys in the base period, please clarify how the 50 EA single-item maximum order interacts with the planned base-period quantities, and whether multiple Task Orders are anticipated within each performance period to stay within the order limitation thresholds.

TO’s for surveys will be issued quarterly with other orders potentially issued in between. Therefore no CLIN on any order should exceed a quantity of 50 and when all CLINs quantities are added together in an issued TO, total will not be more than 200.

C.11 VAAR

852.204-72;

PWS Section G (Security and Onboarding)

VAAR 852.204-72 and applicable PWS provisions identify required onboarding and security prerequisites for contractor personnel, including Tier 2 / Moderate Risk background investigations, ID.me Level of Assurance 3 credentialing, TMS Privacy and Security Awareness training, and Rules of Behavior documentation.

These activities have historically had multi-week to multi-month lead times that materially affect mobilization risk.Request the Government provide (a) the typical provisioning timeline from contract award to active VA Box access and operational onboarding observed under recent comparable contracts, and (b) the Government-furnished onboarding support, sponsorship coordination, or expediting assistance that will be made available to facilitate timely system access for initially-cleared and newly-hired contractor personnel.

a) matter of weeks

b) vendor must work with VA to have newly hired personnel complete all requirements to ensure timely access. Timeframe for either is diffuclut to determine and may fluctuate by person.

Section E.5, ¶4 Factor 8 (Personnel Qualifications);

VAAR 852.237-

Section E.5, ¶4 Factor 8.a-e addresses Contractor Personnel Qualifications and notes that 'resumes of key current members of critical positions should be provided.' The solicitation does not state whether resumes of the Program Manager and senior leadership are evaluated as a discrete component of Factor 8 or whether such positions are designated Key Personnel under VAAR 852.237- 75.Request the Government clarify (a) whether Program Manager and senior leadership resumes are evaluated independently of the broader staffing-capacity assessment within Factor 8, (b) which specific positions are designated Key Personnel subject to VAAR 852.237-75, and (c) the relative weighting of Key Personnel evaluation versus overall staffing capacity within Factor 8.

C.15 VAAR 852.237-75 (pg 102) has no barring on evaluation. The clause is designed to inform the Contractor that before diverting any of the specified individuals to other programs or contracts the Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer and shall submit a justification for the diversion or replacement and a request to replace the individual.

b) Key personnel are identified as all survey positions. The Solicitation does not indicate program management or senior leaders.

c) There are no weights assigned and only Key Personnel are weight differently than overall staff capacity.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files

Will the Government accept embedded screenshots, workflow diagrams, BPMN process flows, dashboard mockups, or other visual illustrations of contractor digital tools used to support survey execution, deliverable production, and reporting within the Volume I sub-sections, and if so, will such illustrations count against the page limits established for each sub-section?

Yes they are allowed pg 112 and Yes, they will count as of the 150 page count pg 114

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files

Will the Government specify the required font, font size, line spacing, and page margins for Volume I, and confirm whether tables, figures, and footnotes are subject to the same formatting requirements as body text?

Pg 112 Section 3 Proposal Files has this information. Footnotes to text, hyperlinks and embedded files shall not be used.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files 112

Section E.5, ¶3 prohibits the use of hyperlinks or embedded files of any kind in any proposal volume. Volume V (Veterans Preference) Factor 1 requires Proposers to reference SBA certify.sba.gov URLs, and the SAM.gov reference is required in Volume IV.Request the Government confirm that URL/text references to https://veterans.certify.sba.gov, https://dsbs.sba.gov, and https://sam.gov in Volumes IV and V, when typed as plain text and not formatted as hyperlinks, do not violate the prohibition on hyperlinks in Section E.5, ¶3.

Correct, when referencing a website.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files 113

Section E.5 advises that offerors may need to logically separate volumes into multiple emails due to VA email file size restrictions. Please confirm: (a) the maximum size of any individual email VA can receive; (b) whether offerors may submit via SAFE (Secure Access File Exchange) or another large-file delivery mechanism; and (c) whether a confirmation receipt will be issued by the Contract Specialist within a defined window after submission.

a) It is not recommended to exceed 40 megabyte size emails.

b) No, only multiple emails. c) an email confirmation will be sent for each email received

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files Table

The page-limit table indicates that the Volume I subsections total 150 pages, while the QAP and QASP are identified as having “No Page Limitation.” * Please confirm whether the Government intends the QAP and QASP to be excluded from the 150-page limitation (i.e., additive to the cap), or whether those sections count toward the overall 150-page total.

The QAP and QASP are separate documents and one of the first deliverables. It is not included in the 150 page limitation of the technical volume submission.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files Table

The proposal page limitation table indicates “No Page Limitation” for the Quality Assurance Plan (Section 8) and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (Section 9).

Please confirm that offerors may submit QAP and QASP at any length they determine appropriate, and that those pages do not count against the 150-page Volume I cap.

Correct, the QAP and QASP are separate documents and submitted with proposal. It is not included in the 150 page limitation of the technical volume submission.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 3.

Proposal Files Table 114

Will key personnel resumes be counted within the 17-page Staffing Factors limit, or may they be included as a separate appendix outside the page count, similar to the QAP and QASP treatment?

It is included in the 150 page limitation of the technical volume submission. Its has a 17 page limit. Key personnel roles should include RN, LSC, Team Lead, Administrative surveyor, Fiscal surveyor, and QA Manager. We request to see documents such as a Position Descriptions (PD) that validates surveyors have the necessary knowledge and experience in CMS processes, survey reviews, life safety code, credentials, etc. to conduct SVH surveys

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 4.

Technical Approach Volume:

Technical Factor

B.4 PWS Section C.6.4.b requires all licensed personnel to hold current and unrestricted licenses. Given that surveyors will conduct in-person surveys in multiple States, will the Government clarify whether each Registered Nurse and other licensed surveyor must hold a license in the State where each survey is conducted, or whether a Compact license, single-State license, or alternative credential pathway is acceptable for nationwide survey performance?

Each RN/licensed surveyor is not required to hold a license in each state they conduct a survey.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 5.

Past Performance Volume II Factor

Volume II Factor 1 states that offerors shall identify three to ten contracts that demonstrate recent and relevant past performance. Will the Government accept past performance references from a proposed major subcontractor or teaming partner, provided that subcontractor is committed by an executed teaming agreement and will perform a defined portion of the work? If yes, will such subcontractor past performance be evaluated under the same recency and relevance standards as the prime’s references?

No, performance must be that of the proposer. Subcontractors are not evaluated only the prime contract holder.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 5.

Past Performance Volume II Factor

Volume II Factor 2 requires offerors to complete Part I of the Past Performance Questionnaire and email to references for Part II completion. Will the Government provide the standard PPQ template/form for use, and confirm the email address to which references should return completed PPQs prior to the proposal due date?

Yes, provided as attachment via Amendment

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 5.

Past Performance Volume II Factor

Section E.5, ¶5 requires the Proposer to complete Part I of a Past Performance Questionnaire (PPQ) and forward to references, who then complete Part II. The solicitation does not include a PPQ template as an attachment or document.Request the Government issue the PPQ template via Solicitation Amendment so all offerors and references use the same instrument, ensuring scoring consistency under Volume II evaluation.

Past Performance Questionairre (PPQ) added via amendment

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 6.

Price Volume / Attachment CC ODC columns

Attachment CC includes “Other Direct Costs / Quantity / Cost / Taxes / Total ODC” columns within each CLIN block. Please confirm that contractor platform license costs, secure file-sharing tool subscriptions, electronic feedback mechanism platform fees, and similar IT enablement costs may be included as ODCs allocated to the relevant CLINs in Attachment CC, with the resulting CLIN total carried over as a fully-loaded unit price to Attachment BB.

Cost incurred in completing the task should be taken into account appropriately. All indirect and direct costs shall be included in the cost of the CLINs, as applicable

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 6.

Price Volume Factor 2 Basis of Estimate

Section E.5, ¶6.b instructs Proposers to identify 'travel per task per resource to be used' in the Detailed Price/Cost Sheet, but does not specify the rate basis. SVH surveys are nationwide and travel is a material cost driver.Request the Government clarify whether contractor travel shall be priced at (a) GSA per diem and Federal Travel Regulation airfare rates, (b) Joint Travel Regulation rates, or

(c) contractor's actual/customary commercial rates; and confirm whether travel is to be embedded in fully-burdened CLIN unit prices or broken out as a separate ODC line in Attachment CC.

Travel costs should be embedded into the CLINs. However, the breakout should be addressed per CLIN and any explanation in the pricing volume.

Travel shall be in accordance with GSA perdiem rates and travel regulations. However, it will not have a seperate CLIN. Travel is required on CLINS CLIN 0001-0004, 1001-10004, 2001-2004, 3001-3004, 4001- It is up to the vendor to determine their perferable travel optimization that provides best value for the government.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 6.

Price Volume Factor 2 Basis of Estimate

How will surveyor travel and maintenance expenses (e.g., lodging, meals, airfare, rental vehicles) be accounted for in this Solicitation? Are offerors expected to include travel and maintenance expenses within CLIN 001 (Annual Onsite Surveys) or should travel and maintenance costs be excluded from pricing proposals?

Travel should be priced in all CLINs that require travel. CLIN 0001-0004, 1001-10004, 2001-2004, 3001-3004, 4001-4004

E.5 Proposal Submission Instruction 6.

Price Volume Factor 2 Basis of Estimate

PWS B.5 states that all work shall take place at the contractor’s facility and at the SVHs, and Volume III Factor 2 requires offerors to identify travel per task per resource. To ensure consistency in travel pricing across offerors, will the Government confirm whether: (a) travel is to be priced at GSA per diem and city pair rates in effect at proposal submission; (b) travel costs are required to be loaded into each Survey CLIN unit price as an indirect or direct cost component within the FFP unit price, with no separate travel CLIN; and (c) any geographic clustering or travel optimization assumptions the Government would consider preferable?

a) Attachment A – SVH Master Survey Schedule Listing shows the anniversary month for each facility (when survey should be conducted).

Travel shall be in accordance with GSA perdiem rates and travel regulations, however, it will not have a seperate CLIN. As stated in RFP, travel costs should be embedded into the CLINs. However, the breakout should be addressed per CLIN and any explanation in the pricing volume.

Travel is required on CLINS CLIN 0001-0004, 1001-10004, 2001-2004, 3001-3004, 4001-4004

b) Yes

c) It is up to the vendor to determine their perferable travel optimization that provides best value for the government. The government has no preference.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 6 Price Volume / PWS A.2 Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico

0 & Attachmen

PWS A.2 requires a 'professional Spanish linguist (interpreting both the written and spoken language into English)' for the Juana Diaz, PR SVH only. The solicitation does not state whether the linguist must be a credentialed clinical surveyor (RN, SW, etc.) who is also bilingual, or whether a separate qualified interpreter may accompany a non-bilingual clinical surveyor.Request the Government clarify (a) whether a separately-contracted interpreter is acceptable in lieu of a bilingual clinical surveyor, (b) whether translation of written records is in scope of the survey deliverable, and (c) which CLIN absorbs the linguist cost for the single Juana Diaz survey occurrence.

a) Up to vendor

b) Most records are in the native lanuage and not in english

c) Up to vendor; however an emplanation as to where the cost was associated must be part of the pricing volume.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 6 Price Volume /

B.4 PWS C.4.7

Task 12 IJ Deficiences / Attachment BB CLINs 0001– 0004 / Deliverables 8–11

21 & Attachme

Section B.5 instructs offerors to include the potential cost of any Immediate Jeopardy Deficiencies for any Survey CLIN. To enable a defensible cost build, will the Government provide the count of Immediate Jeopardy declarations across all SVH surveys in each of the most recent three fiscal years, including the level (J, K, L) and the average elapsed days from declaration to final removal plan acceptance?

Immediate Jeopardies identified in the following calendar years: 2024 = 6;

2025 = 6; 2026 to date = 2. Final removal plan acceptance occurred the same day Immediate Jeopardy was identified.

E.5 Proposal Submission Instructions 6.

Price Volume Factor 2 / B.4

PWS B.1.2 /

B.1.3 / C.3.3

Volume III directs offerors to roll the cost of Quality Assurance Plan (B.1.2), Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (B.1.3), and TO Survey Schedule Change (C.3.3) work into specified parent CLINs. Please confirm: (a) that the QAP/QASP cost is to be included exclusively in CLIN 0014/0015 Program Work Plan and not double-counted in any other CLIN; (b) that TO Survey Schedule Change cost is to be included in CLIN 0011/4011 Quarterly Survey Schedule; and (c) that the IJ-related Deliverables 8 through 11 are to be included only in CLIN 0001/0002/0003/0004 Survey CLINs.

a) QAP and the QASP is under CLIN 0015 for pricing purposes;

Amendment corrected the CLIN number on pg 121.

b) Survey Schedule Change costs associated with changes listed in C.3.3. are to be included as part of CLIN 0011, 1011, 2011, 3011, and

c) IJ related deliverables are to be included in CLIN 0001 - 4001: Annual Onsite Survey CLIN 0002 - 4002: For Cause Onsite Survey CLIN 0003 - 4003: Initial Recognition Onsite Survey CLIN 0004 - 4004: Focused Recognition Onsite Survey

Section E.5, ¶6 (Note);

Attachment CC, CLINs 14 & 15

Section E.5, ¶6 directs the Proposer to roll Program Work Plan, Quality Assurance Plan, and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan pricing into 'CLIN 0014:

Program Work Plan.' Attachment CC labels CLIN 14 as 'Survey Script' and CLIN 15 as 'Project Work Plan Updates.' The Program Work Plan is not a discrete labeled CLIN in CC.Request the Government clarify whether QAP, QASP, and Program Work Plan pricing should be (a) consolidated under CLIN 15 (Project Work Plan Updates), or (b) under a renamed CLIN 14, or (c) distributed across both, and amend Attachments BB and CC for consistency.

Amendment corrected the CLIN identified as 0015. The QAP, QASP, and Program Work Plan pricing should be consolidated under CLIN 15

Section E.5, ¶5;

Section E.7 Factor 2 (Past Performance)

The Past Performance evaluation criteria in Volume II Factors 1 and 2 reference the 'Proposer' and require demonstrated national experience across multiple states and regions. The solicitation does not address the extent to which the Government will consider, or the relative weight it will apply to, past performance attributable to (a) the prime contractor's corporate record, (b) proposed Key Personnel, (c) subcontractors and teaming partners, (d) affiliated entities under a Mentor-Protégé Agreement or Operating Agreement, or (e) members of an SBA-approved Joint Venture.Request the Government clarify (i) whether past performance information from proposed Key Personnel, subcontractors, teaming partners, affiliated entities, and JV members may be submitted and considered in the Volume II evaluation, and (ii) the relative weight assigned to each category relative to prime-corporate past performance.

Past Performance does not have weighted categories within that factor other than stated.

Section E.7 Factor 4; VAAR 852.215-70

The solicitation is set aside under the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) program (NAICS 541611). Section E.7 Factor 4 establishes a 10% pricing preference for SDVOSB primes and 5% for VOSB primes or for non- SDVOSB/VOSB primes that subcontract >=5% to a verified SDVOSB or >=7% to a verified VOSB.Request the Government confirm that VAAR 852.215-70 Veterans Preference evaluation credits apply within the WOSB set-aside competition and that a WOSB prime committing >=5% of contract value to a verified SDVOSB subcontractor will receive the 5% partial-credit pricing preference.

Scoring method and rating provided in RFP pg 122 and 127.

Volume II Factor

Volume II Factor 2 states that the Proposer’s references must return completed PPQs to the Contracting Office no later than the proposal due date. If a reference fails to return a PPQ by the due date despite the Proposer’s documented good-faith effort, will the Government accept the Proposer’s submission of evidence of the request and use other available past-performance information sources (CPARS, SAM) for that contract reference?

E.7 Basis for Award Factor 2: Past Performance “In addition, the Government may utilize: (1) official Contract Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) reports or similar systems of other Government departments and agencies, (2) Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs), and (3) past performance information obtained through other sources which are reasonably available and determined to be relevant.”

Sections E.9 and E.10 (Protest Service)

Section E.9 / FAR 52.233-2 directs protest copies to the Contracting Officer.

Section E.10 / VAAR 852.233-71 references the 'Executive Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management and Compliance Service (003A2C), 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420' and an EDProtests@va.gov email, while the 'PLEASE NOTE' paragraph immediately below cites a different title ('Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acquisition and Logistics, Risk Management Team').Request the Government identify the current and correct VA office, title, and mailing address for service of alternate protests under VAAR 852.233-71 and update Section E.10 accordingly.

Protests can be submitted at many levels which is why there are different options. E.9 is filing protest with GAO, E.10 is filing alternate protest procedure with the agency.

Attachment A;

Attachment BB;

PWS A.2, C.3,

C.4;

Attachment BB provides estimated quantities by CLIN, but the solicitation does not provide historical program-level data that would support uniform staffing-capacity modeling, surge-response planning, or travel cost projection across Offerors. Specifically, the solicitation does not provide (a) actual survey volumes by survey type (Annual, Initial Recognition, Focused Recognition, For Cause) and level of care (Nursing Home, Domiciliary, ADHC) for prior performance years; (b) geographic distribution by VISN and state; (c) average completion tempo (surveys per month); (d) historical frequency and volume of For Cause / Immediate Jeopardy / complaint-driven surge events; or (e) seasonal workload patterns.Request the Government release, via Solicitation Amendment, aggregate program-level historical survey performance data maintained by the GEC Program Office for the prior three (3) performance years, addressing items

(a) through (e) above, to support uniform Offeror estimation consistent with FAR 16.504(a)(1) good-faith-estimate principles.

a) Survey volumes for calendar year 2024 = NH - 154 annuals, 16 recognitions, and 2 For Cause; DOM - 49 annuals, 1 recognition; ADHC - 3 annuals. Survey volumes for calendar 2025 = NH - 163 annuals, 11 recognitions, and 2 For Cause; DOM - 45 annuals, 1 recognition, 1 For Cause; ADHC - 3 annuals. Please note that many SVHs offer multiple levels of care (e.g. Nursing home and Domiciliary) and those surveys occur at the same time although distinct survey reports are created for each level of care.

b) attachment A shows state and POD

c) average completion tempo = 15 annual surveys per month which may include multiple levels of care (e.g. SVH that offers nursing home and domiciliary levels of care);

d) historical frequency and volume of For Cause/Immediate Jeopary/complaint-driving surge events = An average of 3 For Cause surveys per year for the previous 3 years;

e) Refer to attachment A for the current distribution of annual surveys which includes seasonal workload patterns

Attachment A (SVH Master Survey Schedule Listing)

Confirm the total count of distinct SVH facilities listed in Attachment A and the breakdown by level of care (Nursing Home, Domiciliary, Adult Day Health Care), including the count of facilities offering multiple levels of care on the same site visit.Request the Government provide a roll-up summary or confirm the facility/level-of-care totals so Proposers may align staffing-capacity calculations with the Attachment D Surveyor Component Guide and the BB estimated quantities.

Attachment A shows the breakout of level of care. Updated attachment A to reflect current: there are 175 recognized SVHs: 126 nursing home (NH) level of care only, 6 domiciliary (DOM) level of care only, 40 with NH & DOM; 2 with NH and Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) level of care; 1 with NH, DOM, and ADHC

Attachment D_Table of Surveyor Component Guide

Please provide the Table of Surveyor Component Guide for the Adult Day Health Care programs (ADHCs).

Current ADHC census across the current SVH programs does not exceed 50 participants per site. It is recommended to utilize the Reference guide for Domiciliary for this census range.

Attachment D Surveyor Component Guide

Attachment D provides a Table of Surveyor Component Guide. Please confirm whether this guide is binding minimum staffing per survey, an advisory tool that the contractor may adjust based on bed count and average daily census, or a maximum that the contractor cannot exceed without prior CO approval.

This is an advisory tool that the contractor may adjust based on average daily census.

Document AA (Business Associate Agreement);

PWS B.10

Acronyms

The Business Associate Agreement (Document AA) is included with the solicitation. The solicitation does not state at what point in the procurement lifecycle the BAA must be signed and returned.Request the Government confirm whether the BAA is (a) signed and submitted with the proposal as part of Volume IV, (b) executed at the time of contract award, or (c) executed concurrent with the first Task Order kickoff.

The BAA will be completed and sent to the awardee to be signed the same time the contract is sent for signature. Once the contract is fully executed, the BAA will be submitted to VHA to be fully executed.

Attachment BB;

FAR 16.504

Attachment BB lists estimated quantities for each CLIN (e.g., Annual Surveys 173/180/186/195/201 across periods). The solicitation does not state whether these are the Government's good-faith estimates for evaluation purposes only or whether they represent the IDIQ ceiling.Request the Government confirm whether the Attachment BB quantities are best-estimate planning figures used solely for evaluated-price computation per FAR 16.504, and that actual Task Order quantities may vary above or below these estimates without entitlement to equitable adjustment unless the IDIQ maximum is exceeded.

Quantities are based on actual and estimated yearly numbers. The quanitites are the most accurate and are used to provide vendors with the best estimates to determine the resources needed to perform the requirement and price it accordingly. TO's will be issued quarterly or as required to order what is needed, not what is estimated. The IDIQ maximum will not be exceeded.

Attachment BB

CLIN 13; PWS

Deliverable 17

Attachment BB CLIN 13 ('Simple Report,' Quantity 5 EA per period) and PWS Deliverable 17 reference a 'Simple Report' due within 7 business days of TO receipt in PDF. The term 'Simple Report' is not defined in PWS Section C or anywhere else in the solicitation.Request the Government define the 'Simple Report' deliverable, identify its triggering event(s), provide an example or template if one exists, and clarify the level of effort expected so Proposers may price this CLIN reliably.

Refer to PWS sections C.5.4.16: Simple Reports and Activity 4:Simple Reports. An example includes the program office receiving a formal complaint from an SVH that requires review, investigation, and input by the Contractor.

Attachment BB

CLIN 1; PWS

C.5.2;

Deliverables 13/14/15

Attachment BB CLIN 1 (Annual Surveys) shows 173 EA in the Base period. PWS Deliverables 13/14/15 estimate 202 NH + 63 DOM + 8 ADHC = 273 survey reports per performance period, since a single SVH visit may produce multiple reports where the facility offers multiple levels of care.Request the Government confirm whether the BB CLIN 1 quantity represents (a) the number of site visits (one visit possibly yielding 1-3 reports) or (b) the number of individual survey report deliverables. This distinction materially affects unit-pricing construction and team-day estimation.

CLIN quantity represents site visit location. All levels of care for SVH will be surveyed in the same visit and each level of care requires a survey report. See response to question 52 above

Attachment BB;

PWS C.6;

Section E.5, ¶6 Note

Attachment BB contains CLINs 14-18 (Survey Script, Project Work Plan Updates, Communication Plan, Contractor Personnel Training Plan, Electronic Feedback Mechanism) only in the Base period. The option periods omit these CLINs entirely. PWS C.6 references ongoing updates and maintenance of these plans across all option periods, and Attachment CC only contains CLINs 14-18 in the Base Period.Request the Government clarify whether (a) ongoing maintenance of these plans during option periods is to be priced into CLIN 10 (Ad Hoc Reports) or CLIN 6 (Monthly Meetings); or (b) the option-period BB pricing sheet should be amended to add CLINs 1014-4018; or (c) annual updates are to be amortized into the recurring CLINs (and identify which).

The ongoing updates for these Plans is expected to be minimal throughout the option periods of the contract. Should there be any major changes to these plans, those CLINs have been reserved during the option periods to price out those updates via a bilateral modification of the contract.

Attachment BB;

PWS B.2

PWS B.2 establishes a 12-month base period plus four (4) 12-month option periods (five periods total). Attachment BB contains six pricing periods (Base + line numbers 1001-1013, 2001-2013, 3001-3013, 4001-4013, and 5001-5013).

The 5001-series quantities are approximately half the 4001-series, suggesting the fifth option period is intended to price the six-month extension referenced in PWS B.2 under FAR 52.217-8.Request the Government confirm the 5001-series CLINs represent the FAR 52.217-8 six-month extension of services, clarify pricing methodology (e.g., half-year rate of OP4 with or without escalation), and reconcile any inconsistency between the PWS narrative and Attachment BB.

The 50XX CLINs are those for pricing the the option period available under 52.217-8. The pricing on these CLINs shall be identical to the final option year pricing (Option Period 4) with NO escalation.

Attachment BB /

PWS C.4

To enable accurate Firm Fixed Price unit pricing, will the Government release the historical actual quantities of Annual Surveys, For Cause Surveys, Initial Recognition Surveys, and Focused Recognition Surveys completed in each of the most recent three fiscal years, broken out by State, recognition month, and program level of care (Nursing Home, Domiciliary, ADHC)? If full historical detail is not available, will the Government provide aggregate annual totals by survey type for the most recent three fiscal years?

Estimated quantities are shown in attachment BB. These are the most accurate estimates to date for all except base period Annual Surveys.

Annual Surveys are all listed in attachment A.

Attachment CC, Sheet 'CLIN Rates (Option Period 5)'

The Option Period 5 worksheet column header reads 'Escalated Rate from OP 3' for all CLINs. Option Period 4 also references 'Escalated Rate from OP 3.' Logically, OP5 rates would escalate from OP4 rates (not OP3).Request the Government issue a corrected Attachment CC with the OP5 escalation reference updated to 'Escalated Rate from OP 4' to ensure consistent rate escalation and avoid unbalanced pricing risk under Section E.7 Factor 3.

No, because the price should not increase if -8 is exercised as this is a last resort not anticipated as common practice

Attachment K

(VA NFPA

Interpretation)

Attachment K identifies specific NFPA editions to be applied (NFPA 101-2012, NFPA 13-2010, NFPA 99-2012, NFPA 25-2011, NFPA 72-2012, NFPA 96-2011) and directs that surveyors not analyze installations of existing systems. The solicitation does not state whether more recent NFPA editions apply when an SVH has undergone substantial renovation, addition, or change of occupancy after a defined date.Request the Government confirm that the editions identified in Attachment K apply uniformly to all surveyed SVH facilities…