Questions asked and Answered.docx

Questions asked and Answered Q1. The oxygen and ventilator CLINs describe supplies as “all-inclusive,” but the required supplies and replacement expectations are not fully defined. Will the Government provide a complete list of all standard and expected replacement supplies for oxygen and ventilator patients, including the required quantities and replacement frequency for each item? If a patient requires a nonstandard, brand-specific, or other special-order item that is not included on the standard list, will the Government authorize separate payment through an existing CLIN, an added CLIN, or a contract modification?

Answer: The list of supplies and items commonly needing replacement is described for each piece of equipment in PWS section 14.1 Equipment Specifications. This list does not include every possible replacement item as there are patient-specific variables impossible to predict. There are no maximum replacement quantities or frequency, these items are to be replaced as needed. In the rare case of a non-standard brand-specific or special-order item, we may authorize on a separate purchase order or through an existing CLIN.

Q2. Will the Government confirm that the all-inclusive portable oxygen concentrator rental includes one primary battery and one back-up battery, for a total of two batteries per unit, and that any battery requested beyond those two may be billed separately under the additional-battery CLIN? Will the Government also clarify whether the additional-battery unit price is a monthly rental rate or a one-time charge and establish either a maximum quantity per patient or a requirement for written VA authorization before additional batteries are supplied?

Answer: The expectation is that you provide 2 batteries per unit (this does not relate to Travel, only when the POC is rented as a stand/alone or provided for daily use in addition to a stationary concentrator). Any additional batteries requested by VA, not the Veteran or caregiver, will be billed under CLIN X008a. This is a per battery per month CLIN.

Q3. Will the Government clarify financial responsibility when contractor-owned equipment is intentionally damaged, destroyed, stolen, lost, or subjected to abuse or misuse by a patient, caregiver, household member, or other third party? In these situations, will the contractor be permitted to bill the Government or seek reimbursement from the patient for the repair or replacement cost? Please also define the required documentation and authorization process, including whether a police report, incident report, photographs, or VA determination will be required.

Answer: Per section 4.4 of the PWS any financial responsibility for contractor-owned equipment intentionally damaged, destroyed, stolen, lost, or subjected to abuse or misuse by a patient, caregiver, household member, or other third party is the responsibility of the contractor. Neither the VA nor the Veteran can be held financially responsible.

Q4. The base-period schedule assigns CLIN 0002 to both liquid oxygen and ventilators, and the ventilator description refers to SUB-CLINs 0003a–0003c even though the listed ventilator SUB-CLINs are 0002a–0002c. Will the Government issue a corrected schedule with unique and consistent CLIN and SUB-CLIN numbers?

Answer – Please see new attachment A Q5. The emergency-replacement parent CLIN refers to SUB-CLINs 0004a–0004c, while the schedule lists 0007a–0007c. The portable-cylinder parent CLIN similarly refers to 0006a–0006c, while the schedule lists 0009a–0009d. Which numbering is controlling?

Answer – Please see new attachment A Q6. The instructions require a price for every CLIN, but several rows have blank unit-cost and total fields, including VA-owned equipment set-ups and additional POC batteries. Will the Government confirm that offerors should enter pricing in every blank field and provide a corrected unlocked schedule that permits pricing for all required rows?

Answer: Yes, all rows must have Unit Cost and Estimated Total completed.

Q7. Please clarify the unit of measure for each rental CLIN. Concentrators, POCs, ventilators, and cylinders are listed as “EA,” while liquid oxygen is listed as “MO.” Are the “EA” rental prices intended to be monthly per patient/device, annual per patient/device, or a one-time charge?

In CLINs X001, X003 (ventilators), X0008, X0009, X0010 and X0011 Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems we anticipate to be active at any point in time throughout the year.

CLIN 0002 (liquid oxygen) represents rental of one system for one month.

CLINs X004 through X007represent one set-up for one patient during one month.

CLIN X012 represents one RRT visit.

CLIN X013 represents Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems required for one week each throughout the year. Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual system for one week.

Calculation of Estimated Total: Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual item for one occurrence or time period as noted for each CLIN above. Unit Cost is multiplied by Estimated Quantity to calculate the Estimated Total which is the total price for that time period for that CLIN.

Please see new attachment A Q8. The base period and Option Year One both show October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, while the transition requirements in Attachment B use a November 1, 2025 implementation date that predates the stated base period. Will the Government correct the base, option-year, and transition dates and confirm the intended award date, implementation deadline, total ordering period, and final six-month option period?

Answer – Please see new attachment A Q9. Several attachments appear to be from different requirements: Attachment B is labeled Upstate, Attachment C lists Upstate facilities and a Buffalo mailing address, Attachment F is labeled VISN 2 South, and Attachment J is titled Downstate but describes VISN 2 North. Will the Government issue a corrected Downstate package and identify the controlling version of each attachment?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q10. Attachments F and J contain different QASP requirements and acceptable quality levels. For example, accurate RT notes are set at 98% in Attachment F and 100% in Attachment J, while Attachment J adds Joint Commission and staff competency measures that are not included in Attachment F. Which QASP and standards will govern performance?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q11. Attachment B refers to service in the patient’s home within four hours of notification, while the QASP requires set-ups within 24 hours. Will the Government define emergency, urgent, and routine requests and identify the required response time for each category?

Answer: The section referenced in Attachment B related to responding to emergency service calls within 4 hours of notification. The QASP is referring to initial set ups. Attachment B has been reworded to provide more clarity.

Q12. The QASP excludes some circumstances outside the contractor’s control when calculating timely visits and set-ups. Will the Government confirm that documented hospitalization, travel, refusal, inability to reach the patient, unsafe conditions, weather or road closures, facility delays, and delayed VA orders or access will be removed from both the numerator and denominator?

Answer: Circumstances outside the contractor’s control include documented hospitalization, travel, refusal, and inability to reach the patient. They do include unsafe conditions, weather or road closures with VA approval and accompanying documentation that a local, State or Federal government agency declared a state of emergency with travel restrictions. They do not include delayed VA orders as the timing does not start until the contractor is notified and does not include access as it is the contractor’s responsibility to ensure staff maintain access to all required computer systems.

Q13. Attachment F describes quarterly review of satisfaction data, while the performance table requires monthly reporting. Will the Government confirm which frequency is required?

Answer: In Attachment F Section 5.Methods of QA Surveillance; b.Validated Notifications describes an action that will occur during the quarterly contract review meeting conducted by VA staff with the contractor. Section 6.Performance Measures; 5.Customer Satisfaction describes the frequency (monthly) with which the contractor will provide a report to VA demonstrating the achieved performance on Customer Satisfaction Surveys that were completed by the patient and returned to the contractor during the prior month.

Q14. Please define the Long-Term Travel weekly rate, including eligible travel circumstances, covered geographic area, shipping or delivery obligations, and whether equipment rental and supplies remain billable under the patient’s regular CLIN during travel.

Answer: Please refer to PWS section 14.1.10.1.4. Long term travel is defined as travel beyond 30 days. The geographic area includes the United States and all territories. The weekly rate is the rate the contractor will charge for each week beyond the 30th day. The contractor will provide, or sub-contract with a local vendor, all supplies needed for the Veteran for the duration of travel. The contractor is responsible for providing home oxygen to the Veteran for the return travel home. This may include shipping the necessary portable oxygen concentrator and other necessary supplies and equipment to the Veteran prior to their planned return date. Equipment rental for the items in the Veteran’s home locally remains billable, there would be no use and therefore no supplies needed. The long-term travel weekly rate covers all required equipment and supplies the Veteran requires at their destination.

Q15. The POC specifications describe pulse settings as LPM and include battery-life, weight, bolus-size, sound, and continuous-flow requirements that may vary by manufacturer and test conditions. Will the Government accept technically equivalent equipment that meets the patient’s prescription and clinical need? Please identify how compliance with battery life and sound requirements will be measured.

Answer: The equipment provided must meet all requirements noted in section 14.1 Equipment Specifications. Manufacturer documentation showing compliance with battery life and sound levels will be considered sufficient proof.

Q16. Who is responsible for determining and documenting a clinical contraindication to thermal-fuse use? Will the VA enter the contraindication order, or is the contractor expected to make that determination and document it in CPRS?

Answer: Only the VA ordering provider can make the determination of clinical contraindication to thermal-fuse use. The VA will enter the contraindication order.

Q17. Will the Government provide the required CPRS note title or template and ensure timely CPRS/PIV access for all contractor staff before performance begins? When access delays are outside the contractor’s control, will related documentation timeliness be excluded from QASP calculations?

Answer: Documentation timeliness metrics will only be excluded when the delay is created by VA onboarding security/background investigation requirements. Staff maintaining access to VA systems including completion of TMS training and other requirements are the responsibility of the contractor.

Q18. Attachment E requires at least three references for services performed in the past three years, while Attachment B defines recent performance as within five years and permits no more than five contracts. Which recency period controls, and must offerors submit exactly three references or between three and five?

Answer: Attachment E states “including at least three (3)” recent past performance changed to five years – see updated attachment

Q19. Attachment B refers to Attachment 3 for past performance references, while the provided reference form is Attachment E. Will the Government correct the cross-reference?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q20. Attachment G is titled as Attachment E, and Attachment H is titled as Attachment F. Will corrected forms be issued so proposal documents are labeled consistently?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q21. The wage determination attachment lists Upstate New York counties and does not identify the Downstate counties where services will be performed. Will the Government issue current wage determinations for every Downstate service location covered by the contract?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q22. The invoice QASP measure refers to “late bills” as a percentage of total billed dollars but does not define a late bill. Will the Government define the submission deadline, required supporting documents, correction period, and whether delays caused by rejected or unavailable VA orders will be excluded?

Answer: Per section 30 of the PWS, all draft invoices and related supporting documentation must be received by the 10th business day of the month following the period they are for. (March bills must be received by April 14th, etc.). The required supporting documentation is included in this section. There is no correction period. Bills that are late due to issues caused by VA will be excluded.

1. ATTACHMENT H – U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WAGE DETERMINATIONS

Question A: The latest Wage Determinations were revised July 30, 2026. The dates on Attachment H show the latest revision was July 8, 2025. Will you be providing the most recent revised wage determinations?

Question B: The files says this is ATTACHMENT H. However, when opened, it says ATTACHMENT F. Please clarify.

Question C: The locations listed on these wage determinations appear to be for VISN 2 Upstate. Will you be providing the correct Wage determinations?

Answer – Please see new attachments

2. ATTACHMENT D – PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

Question A: The reference instructions state: “Please complete the survey below and return to Corey Swinton, Contract Specialist, at Corey.Swinton@va.gov no later than XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.” Will you be providing a revised past performance questionnaire with the no later than date?

Answer – Please see new attachments

3. Attachment C - Customer Satisfaction Survey - Upstate Home Oxygen Question A: The files says this is ATTACHMENT C. However, when opened, it says ATTACHMENT 1. Please clarify.

Question B: “Upstate Home Oxygen” – Should say Downstate, right? Including the locations listed in the document?

Answer – Please see new attachments

4. Attachment B EVALUATION FACTORS - VISN 2 UPSTATE HOME OXYGEN Question A: “Upstate Home Oxygen” – Should say Downstate, right?

Answer – Please see new attachments Question A: Base Period of Performance: October 1, 2026 - September 30, 2027. With proposals being due October 1, 2026, what is the actual anticipated base period of performance?

Answer – Please see new attachments Question B: Column E – Are the estimated quantities in Column E considered Monthly or Yearly Quantities? Or is it a combination of both? If both, please review and clarify which line items are monthly and which are yearly so we know what formulas to use to calculate the total yearly amount.

In CLINs X001, X003 (ventilators), X0008, X0009, X0010 and X0011 Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems we anticipate to be active at any point in time throughout the year.

CLIN 0002 (liquid oxygen) represents rental of one system for one month.

CLINs X004 through X007represent one set-up for one patient during one month.

CLIN X012 represents one RRT visit.

CLIN X013 represents Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems required for one week each throughout the year. Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual system for one week.

Calculation of Estimated Total: Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual item for one occurrence or time period as noted for each CLIN above. Unit Cost is multiplied by Estimated Quantity to calculate the Estimated Total which is the total price for that time period for that CLIN.

Question C: SUB-CLIN 0008a “Rental of additional batteries for portable oxygen concentrator when requested by VA.” Is this to be priced by Month or by Day?

Month Question D: SUB-CLIN 0001c “All-inclusive price including but not limited to rental of concentrator with flow rate capacity up to 5LPM, conserving device as prescribed by VA, cylinder rack, nasal cannula or mask, humidifier (when specified), portable oxygen cylinders (gas) and set up in home, instruction, and caregiver education.

Includes backup system consisting of compressed gas source, regulator, and stand.

Concentrator sound level must be no more than 40dB, utilize no more than 350 watts, and not exceed 31 pounds." – Does this line item also includes the refills for the portable oxygen cylinders? And if so, how many? Yes, it includes refills. As many as the patient needs based on their personal rate of usage.

Question E: SUB-CLIN 0001a “"All-inclusive price including but not limited to rental of concentrator with flow rate capacity up to 10 LPM with conserving device as prescribed by VA, cylinder rack, nasal cannula or mask humidifier (when specified), portable oxygen cylinders (gas), and set up in home, instruction, and caregiver education.

Includes backup system consisting of compressed gas source, regulator, and stand.

Concentrator sound level must not exceed 60dB and utilize no more than 600 watts."

Does this line item also includes the refills for the portable oxygen cylinders? And if so, how many?

Yes, it includes refills. As many as the patient needs based on their personal rate of usage.

Question F: There are 2 0002 CLINS – Will you be correcting the price schedule so there are not 2 line items with the same CLIN Number?

Answer – Please see new attachments Question G: PWS Reference Column, Column C – Many line items do not have the correct PWS Reference listed in Column C, will you be correcting the price schedule to reflect the correct PWS References?

Answer – Please see new attachments Q1. Contract period of performance and pricing schedule dates

Question: SF 1449 identifies the Base Pricing Period as January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027, with subsequent calendar-year pricing periods through June 30, 2032. PWS §§1.3 and 1.5.1 state that the Contractor shall perform no services after September 30 of each year unless authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. Attachment A instead uses fiscal-year periods beginning October 1, 2026, and its Base Award and Option Year One tabs both show October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. Please identify the intended base and option periods that offerors should price and that will govern contract performance, and confirm whether VA will issue a revised Attachment A reflecting the controlling dates. Please also confirm that the intended final contract date is June 30, 2032, rather than the June 31, 2032 date stated in FAR 52.216-22.

Why clarification matters: A single, authoritative period of performance is necessary for comparable option pricing, staffing, wage assumptions, reporting, transition planning, and contract administration.

Reference: SF 1449, p. 1; PWS §§1.3 and 1.5.1, pp. 15 and 17; FAR 52.216-22, pp. 62-63; Attachment A, all pricing tabs

Answer: The final pricing period is the government option to extend for transition to a new contract if needed. Please see new attachments

Question: PWS §1.5.7 requires the Contractor to begin services in all catchment areas upon award and to complete full implementation within 180 calendar days after award. Attachment B, Factor 1, Subfactor C requires readiness and full implementation by November 1, 2025, while SF 1449 identifies a January 1, 2027 Base Pricing Period start. Please identify the date on which the successful offeror must begin accepting new orders, performing set-ups, and handling patient calls, and identify the event from which the 180-day transition period will be measured. If award occurs before the Base Pricing Period, please clarify whether transition activity is expected before the Base Pricing Period begins.

Why clarification matters: Offerors need one transition clock and go-live date to build an executable implementation plan and commit resources without risking a gap in Veteran services.

Reference: PWS §§1.5.6-1.5.9, pp. 18-19; Attachment B, Factor 1, Subfactor C, p. 2; SF 1449, p. 1

Please see new attachments Q3. Attachment A CLIN structure and liquid oxygen pricing across all periods

Question: In Attachment A, the Base Award tab uses CLIN 0002 and SUB-CLINs 0002a-0002c for both liquid oxygen systems and ventilators. The option-period tabs appear to use the corresponding X002 series for ventilators without separate liquid oxygen line items. Please identify the correct CLIN and SUB-CLIN numbering for liquid oxygen and ventilator rentals for each performance period and confirm whether liquid oxygen is to be separately priced in every applicable base and option period.

Why clarification matters: Duplicate CLIN identifiers and missing option-period line items can produce inconsistent pricing, evaluation, ordering, and invoicing.

Reference: Attachment A, Base Award and option-period tabs; PWS §14.1.3, pp. 34-35

Answer: Please see new attachments

Question: Attachment A description for CLIN X004 states that the estimated quantity for heavy-duty compressor set-up is 15 per year, while the Estimated Quantity column shows 1 EA. Please confirm the estimated quantity that offerors should use to calculate the evaluated price for this CLIN in each performance period.

Why clarification matters: The stated quantity directly affects evaluated price and must be consistent for all offerors.

Reference: Attachment A, CLIN X004; PWS §14.1.6.9

Answer: The quantity for CLIN X004 is estimated at 15 per year.

Question: PWS §1.5.5 describes the respiratory equipment charges as monthly fees. Attachment A instructs offerors to multiply estimated annual quantities by proposed unit prices, most equipment rental line items use EA as the unit, and liquid oxygen line items use MO. Please define the pricing unit for each recurring rental line item, including whether an EA represents one month of rental for one active patient or equipment unit, and confirm how offerors should calculate the Estimated Total for each rental CLIN and SUB-CLIN.

Why clarification matters: This clarification is necessary to prevent materially different interpretations of annual versus monthly rental pricing and to establish a common price-evaluation basis.

Reference: PWS §1.5.5, p. 18; Attachment A, Price Schedule Instructions and pricing tabs

In CLINs X001, X003 (ventilators), X0008, X0009, X0010 and X0011 Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems we anticipate to be active at any point in time throughout the year.

CLIN 0002 (liquid oxygen) represents rental of one system for one month.

CLINs X004 through X007represent one set-up for one patient during one month.

CLIN X012 represents one RRT visit.

CLIN X013 represents Estimated Quantity represents the number of individual systems required for one week each throughout the year. Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual system for one week.

Calculation of Estimated Total: Unit Cost is the price you are quoting to provide each individual item for one occurrence or time period as noted for each CLIN above. Unit Cost is multiplied by Estimated Quantity to calculate the Estimated Total which is the total price for that time period for that CLIN.

Question: FAR 52.216-22 states that the Schedule will designate a minimum quantity that the Government will order and a maximum quantity up to which the Contractor must furnish services. Attachment A identifies estimated quantities and states that the Government does not guarantee a fixed number of orders or referrals, but it does not identify a minimum or maximum. Please identify the contract minimum and the applicable maximum quantity or value for the IDIQ contract.

Why clarification matters: The contractual minimum and maximum are material to pricing risk, capacity planning, and the parties' ordering obligations.

Reference: FAR 52.216-22, pp. 62-63; Attachment A, Price Schedule Instructions

Please see new attached Schedule of Suplies