36C24125Q0455 0001 Amendment.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office.

is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and date specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 30

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer)

None 36C241 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) VAMC Brockton 940 Belmont Street Brockton MA 02301

36C241 Department of Veterans Affairs Network Contracting Office 1 (NCO 1) VAMC Brockton 940 Belmont Street Brockton MA 02301 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C24125Q0455

X

The purpose of this Amendment to Solicitation/RFQ 36C24125Q0455 is to answer questions posed in response to the original posting.

Questions and answers will follow on pages 2-5. No further questions will be answered.

CONTINUATION PAGE

36C24125Q0455 Questions

1. Overview of Services Section B.1. “Required transport and delivery in the Boston area: delivery in less than one (1) hour from the time the call is placed to request transport.”

Please define “Boston area” or indicate what trips (Items 1-17) from Attachment D Price Breakdown fall within these parameters.

Boston Area is highlighted in blue. Average drive times and milage are added.

10 Mi / 30 Min

9.2 Mi / 30 Min

7.3 Mi / 25 Min

7.9 Mi / 25 Min

9.9 Mi / 35 Min

2. Overview of Services Section B.1. “Required transport and delivery in the Boston area: delivery in less than one (1) hour from the time the call is placed to request transport. Due to the emergent nature of blood product delivery times must be met 100% of the time.

Overview of Services Section B.2. “Required delivery for transport in other VISN 1 locations are variable based on distance however all requests for delivery are required to be immediate and direct.”

Here it is acknowledged that not all trips can be made within 1 hour. Additionally, the ability to make trips within 1 hour even within whatever parameter the “Boston area” is defined as will vary vastly depending upon time of day and traffic conditions. Measuring within 1 hour and with 100% success is not realistic.

Is the expectation immediate and direct, or within 1 hour 100% of the time?

Both cannot be true and 1 is not reasonably obtainable.

Within the Boston Area delivery is IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT from time of pickup and delivery must occur WITHIN 1 HOUR from the time the call is placed. This is why a ready and waiting presence is required. These products being transported are lifesaving blood products and can mean the difference between life and death for a Veteran. This time is non-negotiable.

Outside of the Boston area delivery is IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT from time of pickup. Delivery times may vary based on distance however, the staged driver must be available for immediate pick up at time of call.

The current incumbent is meeting these requirements; therefore, they are reasonably obtainable.

3. Overview of Services Section B.4. “The Contractor must have an established, consistent, dependable, “ready and waiting” presence in the American Red Cross (ARC) parking lot in Dedham, MA, or immediate vicinity (within 1 mile of the ARC) that will be in place at the onset and throughout the agreement”

For the sake of pricing and SCA compliance please clarify if this presence will be needed 24/7/365 or for a more limited window like M-F 9AM-5PM?

24/7/365

4. Overview of Services Section C. “The Contractor shall provide all supervision, labor, equipment… etc.”

a. Please provide the required specifications/dimensions of blood product transport containers needed.

Blood products will be packaged by ARC or the Laboratory. They are most commonly in ARC boxes but may also be in laboratory provided Styrofoam boxes. There may be 1 or multiple boxes for transport. These boxes vary in size dependent on what blood products are packaged. The largest boxes are approximately 3 ft width/height/depth.

b. Additionally, will items need to be transported at varying temperatures?

The laboratory or ARC will package the products/specimens to maintain the appropriate temperature. The contractor will not need to supply ice packs, dry ice or temperature monitoring devices. The packages must remain closed in order to maintain the appropriate temperature. Boxes are packaged to maintain the required temperature for the duration of the delivery. Significant delays in delivery or lack of climate control in the vehicle could result in the temperature going out of range.

c. If “YES”, will the VA or the Contractor will be responsible for supplying temperature control devices such as ice packs, and dry ice?

VA and/or ARC

d. If “CONTRACTOR”, are there any specifications/dimensions for ice packs, or a deliverable quantity and schedule for provided dry ice?

N/A

5. Estimated Yearly Volumes Section G. Contractor must provide a written request to Contracting Officer for increased fuel charges due to an unforeseen astronomical increase in fuel prices prior to billing these charges.

Please define what threshold constitutes an “astronomical increase”. Is this a $1/gal increase in local fuel rates since the outset of the agreement (or $3/gal, or $5/gal)?

Please refer to C.2 852.216-75 ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT—FUEL SURCHARGE (NOV 2021) and the website within the clause. Upon the month of the award, a fuel starting price will be documented from the Department of Energy website.

6. Is the solicitation a new requirement set by the government or is this a contract currently being performed that the government is renewing. If this is a renewal, do you have the contract number associated with the old contract?

Although there have been previous contracts for this need in the past, they were not renewed, so there is no current contract in place.

7. What is the max number of deliveries per day, per location?

There is no set maximum number of deliveries per day. Runs are as-needed and dependent upon patient needs. In the last six months, the greatest number of runs per day was found to be 4, but this is not guaranteed to be the most that will be needed.

8. How much time between contract award and start date?

We will aim for at least two weeks between award date and start date, but this is only an estimate and not a guarantee. Because these are critical time sensitive runs, we can continue with our current process until we are sure we are ready to move forward. These times are only estimates and are subject to change depending on what is needed to get everything in place.

9. When is the projected start date of the service?

We are projecting a potential start date sometime in December 2025, but this is only an estimate and is subject to change.

10. This opportunity is an Original Set Aside Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Sole Source (FAR 19.14), which we are not. I was wondering if we subcontracted with a SDVOSB would we be able to submit a proposal?

In a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) set-aside procurement, the prime contractor must be an SDVOSB to be eligible to bid on the contract. However, the prime SDVOSB contractor can subcontract portions of the work to other businesses, including SDVOSBs, as long as the prime contractor adheres to the relevant limitations on subcontracting rules and maintains primary control over the project.

According to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the VA Acquisition Regulation (VAAR), for service contracts, the prime SDVOSB must perform at least 50% of the contract work with its own resources and employees. For general construction contracts, the prime SDVOSB must perform at least 15% of the contract work with its own employees (not including the cost of materials), and for special trade contractors, 25% of the work must be performed by the SDVOSB's own employees.

In summary:

· The prime contractor must be an SDVOSB to bid on the set-aside procurement.

· The prime contractor can subcontract to other businesses, including other SDVOSBs.

· The prime contractor must comply with the limitations on subcontracting specific to the type of work being done.