Solicitation Q and As.docx

Questions and Answers for Veteran Lodging Services in White River Junction, Vermont for Solicitation: 36C24126Q0126

1. Is there an incumbent for this opportunity? If so, may you please provide the award number and company name. No, there is no incumbent. This is a new requirement.

2. May you please confirm if there will be a tax except form provided? Yes, a Tax-Exempt form will be provided to the new vendor once contract is awarded.

3. Confirming you're looking for ~4 double rooms per hotel for one night per week or 1 double room per hotel for 4 nights per week? I was trying to back into the approximate number of room based on the monthly / yearly nights needed. The contractor shall furnish rooms to Veteran beneficiaries and guests as referred by authorized personnel of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. The numbers noted in the Statement of Work are estimates only. The Government is not advocating for any particular hotel. The four listed on the Combined Synopsis Solicitation are the only hotels available within the distance range of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. It does not matter which hotel the Veteran is in, as long as they have lodging services that meet the criteria.

4. Is the quantity of 1 room > < 30 days a different requirement than the 68 monthly / 816 yearly requirement? The numbers listed in the Statement of Work are estimates only. The contractor shall furnish rooms to Veteran beneficiaries and guests as referred by authorized personnel of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. The over 30-day line item could potentially be the same as the under 30-day line item. It is up to the company to make the quote. The VA seeks to get the best possible price for under and over 30 days.

5. We are performing independent research on the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (36C24126Q0126). We would like to know if this is a brand-new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services. If not brand new, could you please provide the current / previous contract number? No, there is no incumbent. This is a new requirement.

6. Is there an incumbent on this contract? If so, can you please provide the name of the contract holder and the contract number please. No, there is no incumbent. This is a new requirement.

7. How many of the double-occupancy rooms are required to be ADA compliant, or do all proposed rooms need to meet ADA requirements? The hotel will need to have ADA compliant and handicapped accessible rooms, if needed for the Veteran. It is unknown how many ADA compliant and handicapped accessible rooms will be used throughout the year.

8. When can we expect the reservation list to be provided? Reservation requests are sent on an as needed basis which is why the Government is requesting 24/7 services as veterans medical needs vary from planned stays to emergency stays.

9. How many rooms need to be set aside per hotel location? The Government is not advocating for any particular hotel. The four listed on the Combined Synopsis Solicitation are the only hotels available within the distance range of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. It does not matter which hotel the Veteran is in, as long as they have lodging services that meet the criteria.

10. Can veterans provide their own credit cards to cover incidentals, or, if not, how will incidentals be handled? The hotel shall furnish all standard supplies/services included as minimum room requirements. The Government does not pay for incidentals such as meals, room service, etc. Incidentals not covered by standard room charges are at the cost of the Veteran.

11. Approximately how many double-occupancy rooms will be needed per week? It is estimated that there are approximately 4 double-occupancy rooms a week.

12. Is this a new contract or a re-compete? If it is re-competed what is the current contract number? No, there is no incumbent. This is a new requirement.

13. What is the current estimated amount of rooms to be anticipated based on the past few years? Based on the data we have, we anticipate approximately 4 hotel stays weekly, 68 stays monthly and 816 yearly for the Veteran Lodging program. The Emergency Shelter program estimates 14 hotel stays monthly and 168 stays yearly. The numbers are based on estimates only and can fluctuate.

14. Are the hotels listing in the Contract Line Item the only hotels being considered for this solicitation? The Government is not advocating for any particular hotel. The four listed on the Combined Synopsis Solicitation are the only hotels available within the distance range of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. It does not matter which hotel the Veteran is in, as long as they have lodging services that meet the criteria.

15. We just received word back from the Hampton Inn that is specifically listed in the RFP that they are not going to provide rates to anyone for this opportunity. They stated they have received calls from 10+ companies regarding this opportunity and they are turning all down. This property is specifically listed as one we will need to submit rates for. Can we propose an alternate property in its place? The Government is not advocating for any particular hotel. The four listed on the Combined Synopsis Solicitation are the only hotels available within the distance range of the White River Junction VA Medical Center. It does not matter which hotel the Veteran is in, as long as they have lodging services that meet the criteria. The Government asks that any vendors that provide a quote provide the best price objective. The Government cannot pressure a third party to provide pricing.