36C24119Q0003_0002.docx

FedBizOpps Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

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* = Required Field FedBizOpps Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation Rev. March 2010 R

DOCUMENT DESTRUCTION-SHREDDING

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION VAMC

04330 36C24119Q0003 01-11-2018 N 561990 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 1 1 VA Center Augusta ME 04330 Tammy Davis tammy.davis6@va.gov Department of Veterans Affairs VAMC White River Junction See PWS for Addresses

VT

USA

tammy.davis6@va.gov The purpose of this Amendment A00002 is to provide responses to Contractor questions. The RFQ response date remains unchanged.

Contractor Questions and Responses:

RESPONSE: The evaluation criteria includes the experience of the contractor and subcontractor to perform the work as follows: Contractor shall demonstrate its experience to meet all requirements stated in the PWS. If you are planning to sub-contract some or all of this work, please provide the name and address(s) of all subcontractor(s) (if applicable) and a description of their planned subcontracting effort.

b. Is it safe to assume if an offeror bids a per container price for this solicitation, that has been accepted as fair and reasonable per the GSA Schedule, and that the VA has recently awarded in other shredding contracts – that said price per container will be considered inherently fair and reasonable and therefore competitive?

RESPONSE: No, this is an open market solicitation; price reasonableness shall be in accordance with FAR 13.106-3.

c. Was an IGCE performed and if so on what was it based?

RESPONSE: Yes, Independent Government Cost Estimates are for official use only and not for public disclosure.

2. P. 4, Evaluation Process 2. Past Performance and P.5, 3. Technical – will the VA consider awarding the contract to a company without relevant past performance in the business of sensitive document destruction? If this is the case, how can the VA possibly conduct a REQUIRED Responsibility Determination evaluation if the awarded contractor has no past experience or any expertise whatsoever in performing the work required by the contract?

RESPONSE: Award will be made to the best value, as determined to be the most beneficial to the Government. A prospective contractor shall not be determined responsible or nonresponsible solely on the basis of a lack of relevant performance history (FAR 9.104-1).

3. P. 5, (x) – if we are currently registered in SAM is it necessary to provide anything further than noting that fact?

RESPONSE: No

4. P.5, (xi) - will assessments of the winning Contractor’s compliance to Limitations on Subcontracting requirements be performed? If not, then how will the VA KNOW the winning contractor is in compliance with this law? If the VA does not evaluate and monitor this requirement, then the VA is running the risk of a Qui Tam Lawsuit after the first twelve months of this contract.

RESPONSE: No, it is not anticipated that the total contract amount will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold of $250K. In accordance with 13 CFR 125.6 - In order to be awarded a full or partial small business set-aside contract with a value greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, a small business concern must agree that: it will not pay more than 50% of the amount paid by the government to it to firms that are not similarly situated. Any work that a similarly situated subcontractor further subcontracts will count towards the 50% subcontract amount that cannot be exceeded.

5. P.8, 2.1 – for pricing purposes at the VAMC should we use the upper range of the totes (30-40) and consoles (30-35)?

RESPONSE: This is a firm fixed price contract; the contractor shall provide a fixed price for up to 40 totes and 35 consoles.

6. P.9, 2.1 – for the VAMC outer buildings and for the Bennington CBOC, could the pickup schedule be changed to bi-weekly? This allows servicing to fall on the same day of the week and therefore lessens confusion around scheduling as well as invoicing.

RESPONSE: Yes, the contractor can pick up bi-weekly

7. P.9, 2.1.1 – if the final destruction occurs on site, should the Final Certificate of Destruction be the same as the Certificate of Destruction provided weekly?

RESPONSE: Final destruction (pulping) is completed off site and the requirement is the contractor is to provide a Final Certificate of Destruction.

8. P.17, 4. Liquidated Damages for Data Breach – if there is a data breach, how does the VA determine the number of people affected?

RESPONSE: The breach will be investigated by the privacy officer.

9. P.25 – what is the specific job on the Wage Rate Tables that is being applied for our workers on this contract? We need to know in order to be in compliance with the 1965 SCA, and we cannot accomplish this unless you tell us specifically which job category to use. Will assessments for compliance with the SCA of 1965 be conducted?

RESPONSE: Service Contract Labor Standards Wage Determinations were provided with the solicitation. FAR 52.222-41 ( c ) (2) - If a wage determination is attached to this contract, the Contractor shall classify any class of service employee which is not listed therein and which is to be employed under the contract (i.e., the work to be performed is not performed by any classification listed in the wage determination) so as to provide a reasonable relationship (i.e., appropriate level of skill comparison) between such unlisted classifications and the classifications listed in the wage determination. Such conformed class of employees shall be paid the monetary wages and furnished the fringe benefits as are determined pursuant to the procedures in this paragraph (c).

The Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, is responsible for compliance/disputes concerning labor standards.

10. Is there a current contract for the work being solicited? If so, please provide that awarded contract number (NOT the incumbent GSA contractor number). Also please provide the name of the incumbent contractor and the contract amount.

RESPONSE: Yes, the requirement was split into two contracts as follows:

VA241-14-F-1928 (WRJ CBOCS) Shred This Inc (SECURESHRED) - Awarded in the amount of $65,260.20 (total) for the Base and Four Option Years.

VA241-14-F-0113 (White River Junction - Shred This Inc (SECURESHRED) – The contract amount total is $106,950 for the Base and Four Option Years.

11. Is the level of effort being performed under the current contract fundamentally the same as what will be required to fulfill #36C24119Q0003?

RESPONSE: Yes

12. Is there a minimum shred size necessary for the documents being shredded?

RESPONSE: All shred size must meet NAIID AAA Certification standards.

13. Will the containers be delivered by VA personnel to the truck for shredding or will we have to retrieve each bin from its location.?

RESPONSE: The WRJ VAMC has a designated space for pickup in the basement of Building 31 and each outer building as a designated location for pickup.

14. Has this job been awarded in the past? What was the dollar amount awarded and contract length of service?

RESPONSE: Yes, see response to #10

15. At the White River Junction VA Medical can we get more specific on the number of totes and consoles to help with a more competitive quote? It states approx. number, if we quote we would have to quote on the higher number verses actual.

RESPONSE: This is a firm fixed price contract; the contractor shall provide a fixed price for up to 40 totes and 35 consoles.

16. I am hoping to find out if there is an incumbent contractor currently performing these services or if this is a new requirement. If there is an incumbent, could you please provide the contract number?

RESPONSE: See the response to Question #10