36C24523Q0323 0004.pdf

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)

1 6

03-21-2023

N/A

Department of Veterans Affairs

VISN 5 Contracting

849 International Drive

Linthicum MD 21090

Department of Veterans Affairs

VISN 5 Contracting

849 International Drive

Linthicum MD 21090

To all Offerors/Bidders

36C24523Q0323

03-21-2023

X

X 1

The purpose of this amendment is to remove the clause C.5 52.216-21, and Q&A is attached.

Due to the fact this is a one year IDIQ contract, price proposals submitted will act as the RFQ for the locations listed. Please read section E.5 on evaluations.

All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

CS: Dan Feng Lu | danfeng.lu@va.gov

Mark Smith

Contracting Officer

Questions and answers

RFQ #36C24523Q0323

1. What is the total volume associated with the facilities in Prestonsburg, KY? Please detail volume by level of service such as ALS, BLS, and Specialty Care.

1500 BLS

25 ALS

These are the estimated need for 1 yr.

2. What is the average length of transport both time/duration and mileage?

Depending on the location of the pickup and the type of appointment that being performed, it could be from 1.5 hours to 5 hours. Estimated time past the 35 miles radius of pick up then extra mileage will be paid.

3. What are the total number of “wait and return” transports?

Almost all BLS transport would be wait and return except for Dialysis transports. Majority of ALS transports would be 1 way.

4. What deployment would be expected to respond to requests for the Prestonsburg, KY facilities?

20 minutes for Emergency calls and 30 minutes for others

5. What is the continuing validity, if any, of the previous Q&As per prior RFQ Amendment

A0002, in view of the substantial RFQ revisions per the new Amendment A0003?

This amendment is to clarify LPTA language, and how the government is to award each task order for the locations.

6. Please clarify and confirm, per revised RFQ Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5 (“awarded contractors will have the opportunity to compete for each location separately”), that each of the Huntington, WV VAMC and the four CBOCs identified in SOW Section 1.5, at RFQ pgs 7-8 (South Charleston, Gallipolis & Lenore, WV and Prestonburg, KY) – a total of five separate locations – is to be bid, and will be evaluated and awarded, on a stand-alone basis, each using the stated “evaluation approach” and “award basis” per revised RFQ Section E.5, at RFQ pg. 78.

Awarded contractors will first each receive a contract for this requirement. Then, a task order will be issued against the contract for each location to the lowest price contractor amongst the awarded contractors as stated in the solicitation.

7. Please confirm, per revised RFQ Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5 (“A single offeror can be awarded one or more locations requiring ambulance services”), that a single offeror can bid and be awarded more than one of the five separate locations.

Yes, that is correct.

8. If a single offeror can bid more than one location, as appears intended and permissible per revised RFQ Section B.2, how is this to be done logistically – i.e., does the offeror need to submit entirely separate technical and price proposal volumes for each location, or can the offeror submit only a single technical proposal volume and a separate single price proposal volume done in a way that each of the separate technical and price proposal volumes covers more than one location? Please note in this regard that RFQ Section E.4, at RFQ pg. 78, appears to contemplate only a single proposal (“Offeror must ensure that its proposal [Note the usage of the singular] is submitted timely ….”).

Only one technical proposal is required.

Section B.4 price/schedule can be used for the price proposal. Offerors fill in the price for the locations they want to compete for. The price proposal will be used to determine which offeror will receive a task order for the location.

NOTE: All offeror must be technically acceptable for the locations they submit offers for.

9. Please clarify and confirm, per revised RFQ Section E.4, Type of Award (“This Multiple

Award Firm Fixed Priced IDIQ contract will be awarded to the lowest evaluated price

[Note the singular context] of proposals meeting or exceeding the acceptability of standards for non-costs factors in RFQ Section E.5 and requirement [sic] of the

Statement of Work”), and Sections E.5(a) & (c) [containing similar single award language], all at RFQ pg. 78, that only a single award will be made for each location to the LPTA awardee for such location.

E.5 (a) is standard FAR language to explain how the contract will be awarded.

As stated throughout the solicitation, the VA intends to award to no more than five (5) capable contractors for this requirement, only the awarded contractors will have the opportunity to compete for each location. This will be determined by the price scheduled submitted. The lowest price evaluated contractor will be awarded a task order for the location.

10. If there is an intent to make more than one award per location, how many awards will be made per location, and what is the intended basis for any awards beyond the first, and how will Contract work be allocated amongst multiple awardees?

This will be one award per location.

11. If it is intended that there will be only one awardee per location, why does revised RFQ

Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5, speak in terms of “the multiple award holders who are technically acceptable for the location listed on the task order?” (Emphasis added.)

It is one awardee per location, see answer in question #5

As stated throughout the solicitation, the VA intends to award to no more than five (5) capable contractors for this requirement, only the awarded contractors will have the opportunity to compete for each location. This will be determined by the price scheduled submitted. The lowest price evaluated contractor will be awarded a task order for the location.

12. How can there be “multiple award holders” for a single location, per revised RFQ

Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5, under a single award per location scenario per revised RFQ

Sections E.4 & E.5, at RFQ pg. 78?

See questions 5 and 7 above, to provide more clarity, Hershel Woody Williams VAMC has a requirement that has additional four CBOCs. As stated throughout the solicitation, the VA intends to award to no more than five (5) capable contractors for this requirement, only the awarded contractors will have the opportunity to compete for each location. This will be determined by the price scheduled submitted. The lowest price evaluated contractor will be awarded a task order for the location.

13. What are the Task Orders that “will be competed amongst the multiple award holders who are technically acceptable to provide service for the location listed on the task order,” per RFQ Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5, and specifically what services would such

Task Order competitions cover – e.g., per trip? per group of trips? Per time period?

It is listed in section B.4 Price/Cost Schedule, the lowest price evaluated contractor will be awarded a task order for the location.

14. If there is only awardee per location, how will the VA obtain services if the awardee declines or fails to timely provide the ordered service, whether within the specified service window or otherwise.

This is an IDIQ contract, once the contract has been fully executed, the contractor agrees to the terms and conditions stated in the contract, and the contractor is responsible to provide services. Section 2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks on page 10, clearly states the order requirement, and the availability on page 78, states the minimum BLS and ALS are required for each location.

15. RFQ Amendment A0002, Q&A #5 stated that the awardee at each location would be used for all calls until their capacity has been met or exceeded “before moving on to another contractor.” To the extent such Q&A has any continuing validity, what other

“contractor” would there be, if there is only one awardee per location?

Revised amendment states the minimum requirement for each location, capacity has been removed from the solicitation.

16. RFQ Amendment A0002, Q&A #5 stated that “the next lowest evaluated contractor will be called after the originally awarded contractor reached its capacity.” To the extent such Q&A has any continuing validity, how would this work, or be able to be implemented, if there is only one award per location, and thus no other contract existing covering the subject services at any price?

See answer for question #11 for detail.

17. If there is going to be only one award per location, how, under the present RFQ SOW technical requirements scheme, is VA going to assure itself that the lowest priced offeror intends and is committed to actually makes its resources available to meet the full-range of each location’s actual service needs? Simply having a specific number of ambulances available does not commit those ambulances to service under any award, and historical experience at Huntington VAMC, for example, shows that certain awardees have only been willing to service particular categories of calls – e.g., short-distance ALS calls.

This has been answered in question 10,11,12, once the contract is fully executed, the contractor agrees to all the terms and conditions in the contract. If for any reason, the contractor fails to perform to what they have agreed upon for the contract, the government will take appropriate action.

18. Please clarify that the new RFQ Section E.5(c)(1), Subfactor 5 – Availability “Minimum

BLS and ALS” requirements, at RFQ pg. 79, (i) trump the inconsistent, unrevised, SOW provisions, and (ii) must be met only as to the respective locations for which each offeror is quoting.

Correct, subfactor 5 is the minimum BLS and ALS need to be met, if cannot be met, then the contractor is not considered technically acceptable, and will not be considered.

19. Please clarify that the new RFQ Section E.5(c)(1), Subfactor 5 – Availability

“Minimums”, set forth at RFQ pg. 79, mean that each offeror is being required to effectively dedicate the specified minimum number of ambulances per respective location to the awarded Contract during the applicable service hours.

Correct.

20. If it is intended that there will be multiple awards per location, and particularly if any awards after the first are deemed merely “back-up” or “fall-back” awards, how will the new RFQ Section E.5(c)(1) Subfactor 5 – Availability “Minimums” be applied to the

“back-up” or “fall-back” awards, since it seems unreasonable to require or expect minimum equipment/personnel availability if there is no assured work?

Only one task order will be issued per location.

21. Please clarify whether the new RFQ Section E.5(c)(1), Subfactor 5 – Availability

“Minimums,” set forth at RFQ pg. 79, apply (i) 24 hours per day, or (ii) only during the hours of 6:00 am – 10:00 pm, with a lower number of “[o]nly two ambulance will be required between the hours of 10:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.”, per SOW 1.3.1, at RFQ pg. 7, and see SOW 2.1.5, at RFQ pg. 11 (“only one (21) BLS and one (1) ALS will be required between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.”).

Yes, only one (1) BLS and one (1) ALS will be required between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and

6:00 a.m. for all locations.

22. Please clarify whether the six BLS/3 ALS ambulance maximum in SOW 1.3.1 & 2.1.5, at RFQ pgs 7 & 11, is intended to apply per location, or across all locations if an offeror is bidding and awarded more than one location.

No more than 6 BLS and 3 ALS is required at a given time for each location. The minimum per location is listed on page 78, under subfactor 5.

23. Please clarify whether RFQ Amendment A0003 Clause C.5, 52.216-21, Requirements

(OCT 1995), at the amended RFQ pg. 51, is being reinstated in the RFQ via RFQ

Amendment A0003, after having been explicitly deleted per Amendment A0001, or whether this is simply an inadvertent carry-over from the prior version of the RFQ, as such provision otherwise appears inconsistent with the revised Amendment A0003

RFQ provisions.

It will be removed.

24. Why is VA not considering and evaluating past performance, particularly if VA is only going to make a single award per location and thus put all its eggs in one basket, so to speak, particularly in view of U.S. Government policy that past performance should be considered in every procurement award decision?

See section E.5 for evaluation factors, past performance is not required for this solicitation.

25. How is a MATOC award framework, with envisioned second level task order competitions, per revised RFQ Section B.2, at RFQ pg. 5, consistent with and appropriate as to the subject time-sensitive ambulance services, and particularly the

RFQ structure envisioning only a single award per location?

Once the awarded contractors received the award, a task order will be issued base of the price proposal submitted for each location.