S05 - Amendment - Question Answer FINAL.docx

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

Network Contracting Office 4 Wilkes-Barre VA Medical Center 1111 East End BLVD Wilkes-Barre PA 18711

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Britni Greenleaf britni.greenleaf@va.gov

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

325 New Castle Rd.

Butler PA

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION

Question and Answer

1. Would the VA prefer a vendor capable of conducting real-time cost comparisons between rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to optimize costs for the VHA? Additionally, is the VA open to leveraging both Uber and Lyft for ridesharing services?

No, the VA would not prefer real-time cost comparisons. Uber and Lyft do not work well in the Butler catchment area. Prior experience has been less than satisfactory with veteran’s being stranded or rides canceled last minute due to availability of drivers in the area.

2. Is there a specific type of service or product that is preferred by the VA or the most effective?

No preference, just as long as the service meets the requirements of the contract.

3. Is the VA open to considering alternative pricing structures, given that rideshare companies often operate on dynamic pricing models rather than fixed per-mile or minute rates?

No, this is a fixed priced contract. It is incumbent upon a vendor submitting a quote in response to the solicitation to include all of the fees within the listed price structure.

4. Is the VA receptive to implementing a standardized booking fee for rideshare services, covering the coordination and scheduling of services in addition to the actual cost of the official rideshare trip? For instance, if an Uber trip costs $25, the proposed contract would include the total trip cost plus a fixed booking fee for efficient scheduling and coordination, providing a more economical solution that accommodates dynamic changes.

No, see information about Uber and Lyft in question 1.

5. How will cleaning fees for mess caused by riders be handled? Cleaning would be the responsibility of the vendor.

6. For lost items, currently rideshare companies have a standard $15 fee that goes to driver for their effort, and should there be a separate line item for this charge?

No, this will be the responsibility of the vendor.

7. Will the VA consider unit prices and escalation for each contract renewal? The Contractor recommends that any escalation should be based on The Consumer Price Index (CPI) as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Yes

8. In the event of a substantial and unforeseen escalation in operational costs (e.g., fuel prices rise), can the contractor anticipate that a supplementary cost invoice will be acknowledged?

No

9. Are there any anticipated scenarios where services might need to extend beyond the initial coverage area, and how will such situations be addressed? There may be and that is where the milage rates apply.

10. Would the VA consider an alternative booking method that involves a web-based dashboard, allowing VA staff real-time booking and monitoring of trips, with riders receiving trip information directly on their mobile or landline? Yes

11. What is the allowable wait time for a driver at a location before determining that the client is a no-show? If a client is a no-show, will the Contractor be reimbursed for the entire ride or a portion of it?

See PWS page 4, 2.23, 4.4

12. The dispatch responds by giving the client an ETA of 4:00 p.m. At 3:45 p.m., the driver cancels the ride. What do you do? How do you inform the client? What steps are taken by the Contractor? Please be specific. Please include any systems, processes, and measures in place that will mitigate refusal and/or cancellation of rides by any parties.

Follow policy set in place between POC & Contractor.

13. In the event of a driver canceling a ride, specifically with a short notice period (e.g., 15 minutes before the scheduled ETA), how would the VA prefer to inform the client, and what steps should the Contractor take to mitigate such cancellations? That would be the responsibility of the contractor to develop a mitigation strategy. You can list this strategy in your technical response.

14. If a client does not have a phone, could the VA clarify the process for the Contractor to get in contact with the client? The veteran/client’s case manager would be ensure that the veteran/client is aware of ride and would be POC for driver in those cases.

15. Will the VA provide a post-award debriefing to both successful and unsuccessful offerors? The purpose of this meeting is to enhance future solicitations by obtaining insights into our proposal's performance against solicitation specifications and evaluation criteria.

No, post award meeting will be between customer and successful offeror. A award announcement will be made on SAM.gov with the required information according to the FAR.

16. Does the VA possess historical data on the most frequently visited locations and estimated distances? Most rides would be in Butler County, but may extend to Armstrong, Clarion, Lawerence, and Mercer Counties. Some rides may also be requested to Pittsburgh and Erie. We do not have historical data on hand and ride requests will vary. Rides may be requested to places of employment, medical appointments, court, grocery stores, etc.

17. To safeguard the beneficiary, is it advisable to utilize only the full name and phone number without including the last four digits of the Social Security card and the date of birth, While assigning each trip a unique identifier for added security?

This is not applicable

18. Will the VA administrator be the one requesting trips on the platform, and if so, will the rideshare record only the official coordinator who requested the trip?

See PWS page 5, 4. Transportation Orders

19. Does the VA acknowledge that rideshare companies utilize smart app technology, which gathers GPS, gyroscope, and accelerometer data during rideshare (Lyft or Uber) trips, potentially leading to variations in mileage compared to measurements obtained from Google Maps or other mileage applications? See PWS 3.2

PWS 5.2

20. For Line Item 0002, could you elaborate on the meaning of "per minute for each minute over 15 minutes"? Is this rate applicable per minute or per 15 minutes? Per minute after the 1st 15 minutes

21. What percentage of wheelchair transportation is anticipated or required for this service? 5-10%

22. Is the VA informed that rideshare services commonly provide curb-to-curb services, and in accordance with this industry norm, the driver has the discretion to opt out of offering assistance?

See section 3.3 and 3.4 in the PWS. The offeror can list what services they intend on providing to the Veterans to support this requirement. (ie if they won’t help a Veteran inside of there house, just state that you can’t provide that specific service).

23. If the rideshare driver encounters issues during beneficiary transport, the driver is instructed to contact the identified POC between 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. It's important to note that this notification serves informational purposes and does not substitute for internal Contractor communications necessary to resolve the problem. Please be aware that the driver does not have direct contact with the POC but can only communicate with the customer (rider) or the scheduling coordinators. See PWS 3.1

24. Please clarify the distinction between scheduled and unscheduled trips. Shouldn't all trips fall within the scheduled category?

It does say unscheduled or scheduled trips under the trip sheet. There is also a section in the PWS that defines these terms.

25. What is the average distance and duration of a typical trip in terms of miles and minutes under this transportation services contract? Not currently under contract

26. Given that the rideshare vendor cannot provide a photo identification badge and uniform, is VISN aware that driver screening is conducted by a third party, meeting Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Requirements for vehicle age? See PWS section 6.1

27. In the preceding year, what were three notable advantages and three challenges faced by VA VISN 4? Additionally, what specific areas does VISN 4 aim to enhance through the implementation of these transportation services? The challenge was the reliability of Uber and Lyft in our catchment area. Previous contractor had to sub-contract with a local Transportation Service to adequately fulfill the contracting obligations to meet the needs of our veterans/clients. See PWS 1 Scope of work for rationale of need for services.

End of Document

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Amendment to a Previous Combined Solicitation